India faces controversy over censorship of ancient figurine

A controversy has erupted in India after the depiction of a bare-chested ancient figurine was altered in a school textbook.

According to the BBC, the bronze sculpture known as the “Dancing Girl from Mohenjo-daro,” dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE, depicts a woman standing with one hand on her hip and is considered one of the most iconic artefacts of the Indus Valley civilisation.

In a newly published Class 9 art textbook, the figure’s torso was reportedly covered with dark paint, obscuring its anatomical details. Historians have accused the National Council of Educational Research and Training of distorting a significant cultural artefact.

In response, the council’s director, Dinesh Saklani, told reporters that after consulting experts, the altered image would be removed from the textbook and replaced with the original version.

The Indus Valley chapter has long been a core part of India’s school curriculum, and the “Dancing Girl” has appeared in textbooks for decades without such censorship.

The artefact is currently housed in the National Museum in New Delhi. Archaeologists regard the sculpture as an important example of artistic achievement and advanced metallurgical skills in the Indus Valley civilisation.