Jaisalmer/Jaipur: A controversy has erupted after a map featured in the NCERT Class 8 social science textbook depicted present-day Rajasthan as part of the erstwhile Maratha Empire.

The map shows vast portions of present-day Rajasthan including Jaisalmer, Mewar (Udaipur), Bundi, and Jaipur under the Maratha Empire in 1759.

Several erstwhile royal families, including BJP MP from Rajsamand Mahima Kumari and her MLA husband Vishwaraj Singh, both members of the former Mewar royal family, condemned the depiction, calling it “factually incorrect, misleading, and agenda-driven.”

The issue was highlighted by Jaisalmer's erstwhile royal family member Chaitanya Raj Singh in a social media post on Monday night. Singh termed the representation “historically misleading, factually incorrect, and seriously objectionable.”

He said such unverified and historically unsubstantiated information raises serious questions about the credibility of institutions like NCERT and also hurts public sentiments, undermining the region's proud history.

Tagging Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and NCERT, Singh urged immediate correction of what he called a “blatantly erroneous, malicious, and agenda-driven depiction.”

“This is not merely a textbook error. It appears to be an attempt to distort the legacy of our ancestors, their sacrifices, sovereignty, and valour,” he added.

Singh said there is no mention of Maratha control, invasion, taxation, or dominance over Jaisalmer in any authentic historical source. “On the contrary, government books clearly state the Marathas never had any involvement in Jaisalmer's affairs,” he said.

“This is not just about correcting a factual error—it concerns the dignity of our history, our self-respect, and the integrity of the national curriculum. Prompt and decisive action is expected in this matter,” he said.

On Tuesday, BJP MLA Vishwaraj Singh Mewar and MP Mahima Kumari also objected to the map. “First misrepresented as under British, now as under Marathas—who is going to educate the educationists in NCERT?! Are they capable of presenting the factual history of India—seriously doubt it,” they posted on X.

Former union minister and Congress leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, of the Alwar royal family, said history must be based on verifiable facts, not regional or political agendas.

“The map and claims about Maratha expansion in the textbook are historically incorrect and misleading,” he said, adding the map “surprisingly depicts almost the entire region of Rajasthan as being under Maratha control—something that never happened.”

He emphasized that historical records show the princely states of Marwar, Mewar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Jaisalmer, and Alwar maintained their independence and autonomy in the 18th century.

“The powerful Rajput states and the Bharatpur Jat state were known for their self-rule, military strength, and rich cultural identity. These rulers resisted domination from Mughals, Marathas, and later the British,” the Congress leader said.

“Distorting history along religious or regional lines turns facts into fiction. This inaccuracy appears to be a deliberate attempt to diminish the valour, independence, and legacy of Rajasthan's warrior rulers.”

Brigadier (Retd.) Bhupesh Singh Hada of the Bundi royal family called the Maratha depiction “an imaginary empire.”

“We were never under Maratha control. Do not insult our pride with fabricated stories. Plundering and oppressing one's own people is not empire-building,” he said.

Tagging the union education minister and NCERT, he added: “Please stop this fakery. Don't brainwash our children.”

The NCERT map represents the Maratha Empire and its tributary states at its peak, stretching from Peshawar in the northwest to Thanjavur in the south, and from Surat and Mumbai in the west to Cuttack and Patna in the east.