I Spy Hindutva
Here was an indirect lesson learnt from Facebook (or at least that’s where it sprung up last). I got an invitation to this group called ‘Death to the Fascist Hindutva Ideology’. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the kind that joins such forums. There were 90 odd discussion topics ranging from Gandhi’s racist past to the ‘Danger of Hindufication’1 and from the Hindu Student Council’s alleged politics to the need for a common civil code in India. A few weeks later, I left the group a lot more informed than before but there was this one issue that was far from resolved – something I had sought to find an answer to when I joined.
What is Hindutva and what is it not?
The confusion involved in assimilating a definite image is portrayed aptly by Arun Kumar Tripathi and I seek to, humbly, translate it in the next paragraph.
Hindutva seeks to assert its victory2 in every feasible way. From all possible sources, it seeks to produce and display its success. In doing so, when Hindutva faces the ire of traditions, it turns to modernity. When rebuked by modernity, it sings the praises of traditions. When it fails to adopt the principles of communalism, it treads the path of secularity and on facing a dead end it retreats to seek solace with communalism again. It has abhorred both Gandhi and socialism, yet accepts them together whenever it feels the need … It shows the same resistance as it displays acceptance to social justice. It opposes names like ‘Enron’ and ‘KFC’ in a nationalist fervor while at the same time embraces them celebrating liberalization and development …3
Hindutva is the ideology of a section of the lower middle class. It feeds off of an anger that has embedded itself in their consciousness. This anger is rooted in a feeling of being cheated by that modernization that hasn’t kept its promises. Young men who didn’t get anywhere in life are susceptible to manipulation because what Hindutva offers is a sense of belonging from which they extract a sense of society and purpose. Sabiha Sumar depicted a similar setup in her film Khamosh Pani. “The rise of Hindu nationalism has taken thousands of boys into its folds teaching them that the true meaning of India is that it needs to be a Hindu State and that just as this film (Khamosh Pani) talks about non-Muslims being non-believers, in India, under Hindu Nationalist teachings, it is the Christians and Muslims who are the non-patriotic, non-true Indians”.4 Consider this statement: “In this land, Hindus have been the owners, Parsis and Jews the guests, and Muslims and Christians the dacoits … Then do all these have the same right over the country?” 5
Every time I am asked what faith system I belong to, I run through that same drill of denying that Jainism is the same as Hinduism. That I am an atheist Jain is a matter of personal choice (after all, there exist differing conceptions of Jainism as well). However, it is because I run the risk of associating it with Hindutva that I deny it has anything to do with Hinduism.
I have often argued that words like ‘Hindu’ and ‘Hinduism’ are anachronisms, that looking upon Hinduism as a religion (faith) is in itself a misconception, that it is instead a way of life and that these words have been coined to suit the needs of different people at different times. As our own local Barsana Dham’s Sushree Prabhakari Devi says, there is no reference to ‘Hinduism’ in the scriptures and there exists no one single authority on this ‘Dharma’6. That ‘Hinduism’ is the pagan faith of invaders is a construction by Europeans who seek to revel in their ’superiority’ by proposing the Aryan Invasion Theory7 – something that needs to be discredited for lack of any evidence. Dr. Joseph Runzo uses the term ‘henofideist’ for “one who has fidelity to a single religious worldview yet, aware of other cultures and their religious perspectives, acknowledges that other religious worldviews might be correct” 8. This, in essence, is how I perceive ‘Hinduism’ or Santana Dharma - the oldest spiritual tradition known to us - that dictates that all paths to God are correct. It is an eternal way of life. ‘Dharmis’ are panentheistic9 monotheists who believe that God is fully immanent and present in all things.
Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu, ma kashchid dukhabhag bhavet10
May all be happy, may all be healthy
May all see the divinity in everything, may there be no unhappiness (sorrow)
We live in a society where the language of secularism is being replaced by politics that breeds on ethnicity. However, and I come back to this in the end, there is a rising need to face an issue that has arisen from the decline of this secularity.
Fascism is an offspring an ideology that is non-secular in a way that it restricts generations to certain parameters from birth. These cultural limitations when applied to the foundations of a state produces a fascist society. In the Indian context, the deployment of religious and ethnic stigmas smells of fascism to me. If the government and/or its agencies support the mobs and mobilizes them towards communal violence and if the judiciary falls before this turn of events, then proclamations that ‘India is secular because of Hindutva’ 11 stands in a pool of shame. What this fascist ideology is breeding is blatant fanaticism, communal disharmony and an environment that ’stifles the natural inclination … to cultivate a balanced and cautious judgement’.12
Some of the approaches that have been taken to implement Hindu Nationalism are reflected in the Fire, Water controversies 13 and the rewriting of Indian history. Attempts have been made to ’saffronize’ at both the ground level (by editing textbooks) and by challenging conclusions of scholars who have attempted to rewrite history from texts such as the Vedas and the Puranas in a way that is hegemonic in its conception of the cultural diversity that once existed. A central minister of the former BJP-led government writes, “For centuries wherever Islam actually ruled it had been sacrilegious and traitorous to study, develop or propagate ….” 14. However, their major influence has been that on the Indian society-to-emerge by way of monitoring what is taught in secondary schools - the HRD15 ministry’s attempt to impress its brick of beliefs on the wet cement that is the minds of the young.
One may argue that BJP’s loss in the 2004 elections was a defeat to the ‘one country, one people, one culture’ fulcrum on which they based their ideologies and that the “big, historical development going on in India that wise men should understand … (and) … use for the intellectual transformation of India”16 never got going. However, while five years may not have been enough for BJP to successfully transition from cultural nationalism to political nationalism (effectively enough to retain power), Hindutva continues to thrive. And this is where my write-up derives any meaning. The issue at hand is nothing less than a possible death of Sanatana Dharma in India at the hands of Hindutva.
Hinduism and Hindutva now stand face to face, not yet ready to confront each other, but aware that the confrontation will have to come some day , says Ashis Nandy17, … Hindutva will be the end of Hinduism … That death of Hinduism in India will be celebrated by all votaries of Hindutva. For they have always been embarrassed and felt humiliated by Hinduism as it is.18
Footnotes:
1The thread starter’s term for Hindu nationalization
2In 1995, a Supreme Court ruling equated Hindutva with the development of a uniform culture by eradication of cultural difference coexisting in the country
3Tripathi, Arun K. (~1996) Hindutva jo hai aur jo nahin hai , Vaani (New Delhi, India)
4Q&A with Human Rights Expert Smita Narula , DVD Special Features, Khamosh Pani (2003)
5Golwalkar- The Guru Of Hate, Ramchandra Guha, The Hindu (November 28, 2006)
6here, way of life (also used for duty, religion)
7Theory that India was invaded and conquered by nomadic light-skinned Indo-European tribes from Central Asia around 1500-1000 BC
8Runzo, Joseph (2001) The Global Philosophy of Religion: A Short Introduction , Oneworld (Oxford, England)
9one who believes that the one transcendent God interpenetrates every part of nature. Essentially, it says that (a) God is the supreme being and (b) God is everything
10Swasti mantra (Chant seeking blessing for all), Adi Shankaracharya
11“India is secular because of Hindutva”: Advani , The Pioneer (Feb 15, 2003)
12Hasan Mushirul (2007) The BJP’s Intellectual Agenda: Textbooks and imagined History , compiled and edited essay in Hindu Nationalism and Governance , Oxford University Press (New Delhi, India)
13Controversies over Deepa Mehta’s movies; one on sexual politics and the other on widowhood
14Shourie, Arun (1993) A Secular Agenda , ASA Publications (New Delhi, India)
15Human Resource Development
16Chowgule Ashok (~1993) Shri Klaus Klostermaier: On The Ethos And The Future Of Hinduism , www.bjp.org
17Often referred to as the “Conscience of India” for his active participation in grassroots actions
18Hinduism Versus Hindutva – The Inevitability of a Confrontation , Ashis Nandy, Times of India (Feb 18, 1991)
Photo Courtesy: Boris
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This article received a lot of feedback. For the reader’s convenience/benefit, I’m going to reproduce some of the responses below.
[Reply]
Guru Guha Krishnamurthi | 04.05.08 - 5:51 pm |
Here is my comment:
I’d like to start off by saying that I am a political other with respect to the hindutva/”pseudo”-secularist divide. There must be a moderate position, and I think it would be impingent on us to find it. As such, I think Vaibhav’s piece plays an important role - he is enlightening us to what are the inherent problems with one pole of this divide. As for my comments:
Vaibhav seems to portray Hindutva as a tradition that is compartmentalized to a certain section of the public, as he says that it is primarily of the lower middle class and that it grows by picking on young men who didn’t get anywhere in life. These facts may be true, but I think they paint the wrong picture of Hindutva. Despite the antics of the most extreme in Hindutva, many are enthralled by its potential consequences; this includes men who DID accomplish something with their lives. This also includes low class/upper class folks. I make this point not to nitpick; my point is that Hindutva is every bit real and alive.
It grows by leaps and bounds, (sometimes) because of issues that may not be tied to their true agenda, but are tied to the agenda of the other pole, namely “pseudo”-secularists. For example, those who might hold the rational political opinion that a uniform civil code is an important doctrine needed for the growth of India as a democracy might become Hindutva supporters, because the “Pseudo”-secularists have opposed it so vigorously (at times). There are tons of such hot-button issues, and that is why I say we need to find a (non-locally affiliated) moderate party.
Furthermore, it would be a mistake to assume that because the BJP lost, they lost because of the their identity as “the party of Hindutva”. Certainly some voters found the BJP’s face of hindu hegemony frightening, but there is some doubt as to whether that was the consensus among voters who dethroned the BJP. I submit that regional politics and the declining economic status of (especially) the lower classes during the BJP term were very influential factors in that dethroning election. It would be a mistake to term Hindutva as a movement in decline because of that political hiccup; the state assembly elections seem to show that Hindutva will be a political player for years to come.
Finally, I opened by saying that I commend Vaibhav for showing the public the inherent problems with the Hindutva pole of Indian politics. But, as a respectable journalist enterprise, I sincerely hope that you shed light on the issues and troubles with the “pseudo”-secularist pole. I ask you, not because of “fairness” or because of the possibility that you may offend Hindutva supporters. I ask you only because of the reciprocal worry that I discussed regarding people’s flocking to Hindutva due to peripheral issues; it would be a shame if people became hard and fast “pseudo”-secularists simply because they were made privy to the terrible shortcomings and atrocities of Hindutva.
[Reply]
Muneezeh | 04.05.08 - 9:06 pm |
Bhai,
On a subject on which I’m mostly ignorant, I will only comment on what I know–no need to perpetuate the ignorance!
At this point, examples of attributing x and y atrocities to c and d ruling religions is a moot point. (This is in your defense, VJ.) Every dynasty, in my opinion, has had its good and bad. To draw on Derrida’s “imprescriptible,” we cannot forgive the oppression for which we were not victims.
The Fire, Water controversies are not far from my area. (Plus I recently saw Fire and am in awe of Deepa Mehta. Gayatri Gopinath, now named one of the top 20 lesbians in the academy, has written on the elements trilogy extensively. I’m sure she can back you up better than I can.) The point, however, is this: conservatives will always rebel over the unfamiliar. In India, it was those films–here, it’s “The Vagina Monologues.” The traditional individuals will always contest reform. The most unfortunate aspect of this, though, is often they confuse change with progress and that’s where the process is stinted.
I don’t believe that there can ever be a peaceful secular state, never mind addressing the challenge that is the separation of church and state in the first place. In Turkey, where they are secular, they’ve had controversies regarding the banning of the veil–secular extremism, as some academics have dubbed it. Every state has formed its system of rule around some kind of ‘religion’–I use that in quotation marks to rhetorically accept your contention that Hinduism is less of a religion and more of a lifestyle. That being said, I remain unconvinced that any government can separate itself from its founding principles (but you have to admit, Ataturk did a hell of a job).
Awaiting intellectual and rhetorical collaboration,
MK
[Reply]
Sucharit | 04.06.08 - 1:18 am |
Before commenting I would like to disclaim that I strive to, as much, not be a part of any one side of an ideology as possible.
I do in part agree with the first comment. The truth of the matter is that extremism breeds extremism. It is out of nothing that an extremist form of Hindutva would be born, were it not for the pseudo-secularist end of the spectrum increasing in its intensity too. There is no way you can put one to death while the other lives, because it will inevitably spring up in some form or the other.
Though, what we strive for are moderate liberals, who don’t go about shattering glasses in local press offices nor issue fatwas against expressive arts. It is just a hard truth to swallow that it is an interactive relationship between the moderates and extremists. The moderates (often ideologically weak) require the pillar of the extremists to stand on and extremists really fight in the name of the moderates.
The simple fact of the matter is that when you go out fighting, “the fascist ideologies of hindutva” (or anything for that matter), you have now become that. You have become one of the fighters. And as soon as you put on your fighting shoes, your overarching goal becomes a reflection of that which set out to fight. For you are now standing on the other end of the extreme.
So maybe the only solution to such a puzzle is not to fight but to accept, not passively accept, rather accept and strive to effect this interaction. Strive to let the moderates be in maximal control of the extremists.
It is the eternal fight my friend, of the ‘mati’ trying to control its horses. Let it be the supreme and let it be in control.
[Reply]
(author)| 04.06.08 - 12:31 pm |
@ Guru & Sucharit
If it is unfair to talk about one side of a divide and its implications on an age old tradition, then I have been biased. However, if this has portrayed me to be a pseudo secularist, then it is unfortunate and a failing on the part of my writing. However, it is never too late to make clarifications.
I am not fighting. I am not preaching a need to fight anything. You must notice that this article doesn’t point at anyone or wag a severe finger at anyone in particular. I have refrained from taking any names. Why? I simply don’t believe that violence with words is necessary at all.
What I have done, instead is picked up Hindutva and talked about
1) Its roots
2) Its double standards
3) Its separation from the secular
4) Its intellectual agenda
5) Its projected inevitable reign
And though all this is the bulk of what I have written, the point of my write-up is everything apart from this. I wanted to sing a song in which Sanatana Dharma which began out as a rhythm-less melody has been drowned in the loud beats and tones of nationalism (I apologize to all music lovers for using such a horrid analogy) and eventually hypothesize the death of Hinduism (in India) at the very hands of Hindutva – an idea of Nandy’s.
Hindutva’s civil code is more of a Hindu civil code. They look upon Christians and Muslims as a problem ( even in the formulation of this code). As far as a Uniform Civil Code is concerned, I personally believe India should have one for various reasons.
Lastly, I wanted to clarify that all articles written on Nazar are the opinions of the respective writers and are not endorsed by Nazar. That’s the whole point of this enterprise; to allow the perspective of individuals to come forth and be opened to other perspectives.
————————————————– ———-
@ MK
Well, at one time, these head scarves were status symbol (the practice predates Islamic culture ). Now, its used to make political statements in places like Iran, Turkey. Then, the oppression symbolism. Everyone is bothered forming an opinion about them. Simrat Sharma wrote a very beautiful piece regarding this ( http://nazaronline.net/religion_culture/2008/02/the-veil-liberation-or-restriction/ ).
This article is not pushing forth a struggle against Hindutva. I realize I’m not direct nor effective in demanding that we must stop secularism to fall prey to Hindutva. I just want us to realize, in this article, the loss of a tradition that has been an asset to this Indic land so far but will soon be lost in this very arena (India) to Hindutva.
[Reply]
Vishal Misra | 04.07.08 - 3:48 am |
That truly is brilliant stuff Vaibhav mate.
May I ask, if you’re familiar with Gurdas Maan’s song “Allah Wallo Ram Wallo”?
It goes like so;
“Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo
Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo
(People of Allah, People of Ram
Save your religions from politics)
Mandir, Masjid kabhi fursat mein banaa lenah (x3)
Jo nafrat se toothe hai, woh ghar to banaalo
Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo
(Build temples and mosques in your spare time
First rebuild the houses broken by hatred
People of Allah…)
Beejh nafrat ko kheto mein ugaane walo (x3)
Kaat ne khud hi paarenge oh zamaane walo
Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo
(Sowers of the seeds of hate
Remember oh society, you will reap what you sow
People of Allah….)
Bachke rehna oh lakri ke aashianewalo (x3)
Khud bhi jalsakte ho, auro ko jalaane walo
Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo
(Stay safe in your wooden huts
For you can burn yourself, oh burners of others
People of Allah…)
Apne ghar ki chhath ko tum bachake rakhna (x3)
Oh padosee ke deeware ko giraane walo
Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo
(Save the roofs of your house
Oh destroyers of your neighbours walls
People of Allah….)
Ek rehne do shaheedo ka tiranga jhanda (x3)
Roz nayee jhande mein dande ko phassane walo
Allah Wallo, Ram Wallo,
Apne mahzab ko siyasat se bachchalo”
(Leave the one tricolour flag of the martyrs
Oh people who put new sticks in new flags daily
People of Allah…)
I think he does a great job in capturing the essence of this Hindutva vs Islam concept with that beautiful song…
[Reply]
vasudev | 04.06.08 - 6:36 pm |
Great article … Vaibhav
It is very informative and well-written, but I must say that it is another summery of ‘hate hindutva discussion group on orkut/facebook’. I suggest that you go back to the question that you started with - “What is Hindutva and what is it not?” and think if you were able to answer the first part of it? I’ll give you something to think on. How many people are engaged in hindutva movement at this time and what percentage of them is addressed by your article? I would say that this article portrays some jobless youth and dirty politicians as hindutva.
As more issues of Nazar are coming out I feel that the team of writers is getting overwhelmed with the idea of ‘hate hindutva’. And ‘Avoid hindutva’. I wonder how the editor could allow words like ‘I unconditionally hate…certain community’ (referring to old issues). I must say that I have been involved with things that I think are best representative of hindutva and I never found anything unethical, inhuman or even insensitive to others. Here I see a group effort to hate/reject hindutva. Since, I have been brought up with it, I feel that I am the object of hate here.
I hope that this group will be able to come out of hinduphobia and will engage in de-construction of political issues with a solution oriented approach.
[Reply]
@ Vasudev
It is unfortunate that Nazar, as in your view, has not been balanced in its perspective and seems to have developed all ill-representation of an ideology that you say you have been involved with at a grass-root level. However, to say it’s a group effort is not correct because they are individual views. Nazar isn’t a group of individuals with a political or religious agenda. It is a student magazine that helps persons pitch their opinion. Ideally, our articles should be balanced, but if you happen to find that one side of a coin hasn’t been looked at then it isn’t Nazar who is to blame nor the writer. It is the people from the other side who haven’t used Nazar to voice what they think/believe/know.
As far as my article is concerned, I have traced the roots of Hindutva based on what I have
1)read in articles and books
2)seen on news reporting
3)seen through both movies and documentaries
4)seen through debates on television
5)experienced when I talked to relatives and friends ( few like you happen to be exceptions which is why I respect you a lot )
6)heard in talks given by prominent hindutvadi(s)
If my analysis is incorrect then so be it, but I don’t think I’m guilty of misinterpretation. Only, probably, misled by all my sources collectively. I never said that the Hindutva hasn’t done good to society. In fact, you and I have been part of an organization on campus and for all the good reasons that you are aware of. My point in this article is different and quoting from above :
“I wanted to sing a song in which Sanatana Dharma which began out as a rhythm-less melody has been drowned in the loud beats and tones of nationalism (I apologize once again for using such a horrid analogy) and eventually hypothesize the death of Hinduism (in India) at the very hands of Hindutva – an idea of Nandy’s”
[Reply]
Racchit Thapliyal | 04.08.08 - 1:23 am |
@ Vaibhav
….. Also, I believe “Lab pe aati hai dua” is the more appropriate choice- service to humanity and society is the highest ideal.
“Lab pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho Khudaya meri
Door duniya ka mere dam se andhera hojai
Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala hojai
Ho mera kaam gharebon ki himayat karna
Dardmandon se Zaeefon se muhabbat karana
Mere Allah buraee se bachana mujhko
Nek jo rah ho us rah pe chalana mujhko “
“My desires come out of my lips in the form of worship to the Almighty, and those desires are:-
Oh God let my life be like a candle. May the darkness that envelops this world be dissolved in the intensity of the infinite and give way to ‘light’ in my presence.
My work should be to help the poor, to love the weak and render support to those in difficulties.
Oh my God save me from evil and guide me along the path of virtue and right.”
[Reply]
(author) | 04.08.08 - 3:08 pm |
… The more I think about it the more I realize that the hindutva that concerns you and me is on a different plane from that which is portrayed in this article … Thinking of both these planes in the same bracket reminds of the trouble I experienced in accepting that the Rama who went into exile for 14 years, the Rama who vanquished Ravana, the Rama who was indeed known as ‘Purushottam’ was the same person who exiled Sita . But the fact of the matter is, that it was, indeed the same person. And just like my Ramayana doesn’t end with a Deepavali, our Hindutva and their Hindustanva can’t be simply called separate.
Yet, I think I do no harm by simply tracing the spread of nationalism. If you think that mobilization of jobless youth mobs and dirty politics is not part of it then you’ve painted way too pretty a picture in your mind. Eventually, all I wanted to do was show how this whole ideology is far from what Sanatana Dharma stands for and how it eventually will vanquish it (in India). It’s a hypothesis and refutable …
[Reply]
(author) | 04.08.08 - 11:02 pm |
… There is no direct assertion to my statement above. Consider this:
There was once an ideology that was meant to be applied to and be devoted to day-to-day living. It was supposed to approach the problems of Hindus and the society they lived in.
But in no time, did this ideology learn words like Bharatvarsh and Hindu Rashtra. Soon, it became a toy in the hand of political organizations.
Though the social aspect of Hindutva at large hasn’t died, what it has done is can be displayed in this simple fact:
Godse’s bullet didnt kill the modernist and pseudo secular Jawaharlal Nehru but the anti-national sanatani Mahatma Gandhi
Thus, my lament that what began as ‘Hindu-tattva’ is now more of a ‘hindustan-tattva’ ( so much for coining a new word! )
[Reply]
Racchit Thapliyal | 04.09.08 - 2:18 am |
@ Vaibhav:
“There was once an ideology that was meant to be applied to and be devoted to day-to-day living. It was supposed to approach the problems of Hindus and the society they lived in.
But in no time, did this ideology learn words like Bharatvarsh and Hindu Rashtra. Soon, it became a toy in the hand of political organizations.”
I disagree. Hindutva has it roots in the rise of the Maratha nation, when Shivaji’s spiritual preceptor (I forget who) exhorted him to restore inidan (“hindu”) society to its previous glory. The stated aim of the Marathas was to establish a hindu rashtra which stretched even beyond attock (covering what was/is known as akhand bharat.) I read a compilation of personal letters of Veer Savarkar, and he clearly talks about the ideal of a Hindu Rashtra, although not in the sense as RSS conceptualizes it today.
“Godse’s bullet didnt kill the modernist and pseudo secular Jawaharlal Nehru but the anti-national sanatani Mahatma Gandhi”
I don’t really sympathize with Gandhi…
“Thus, my lament that what began as ‘Hindu-tattva’ is now more of a ‘hindustan-tattva”
Ok, I see what you’re getting at. Yes, I do agree that modern hindutva is definitely ultra-nationalistic and strays significantly from its original conception. And this is my fundamental problem with the Sangh.
[Reply]
(author) | 04.09.08 - 7:06 am |
@ Racchit
I’m not appealing to your sympathy for Gandhiji. I’m simply drawing a parallel between that statement, my article’s hypothesis and my previous statement that Hindutva has become ‘ultra-nationalistic’.
What about writers like Ram Sharan Sharma, Satish Chandra, Arjun and Indra Dev ?
My biggest problem as you can see is the overwriting of knowledge of these scholars by the HRD ministry of the NDA government. They just had passages upon passages removed from textbooks. That is simply distortion for political purposes - intellectual barbarianism.
I’m going to answer this from the perspective of my article that brings up the Fire and Water controversies. It wasn’t just creativity that was being stemmed but allegations were made that these films violated Hindu values. While Fire was seen as a challenge to certain ‘accepted’ boundaries of Indian middle class life, Water was a ‘conspiracy by votaries of western culture to tarnish the image of widowhood in India’. Once again, what was proposed was a communal reconstruction of the national identity.
Raj Thackrey is neither Shiv Sena nor worthy of this conversation.
The reference to Savarkar was done in light of the fact that the Sangh Parivar’s basic philosophy of Hindutva is derived from Savarkar’s thesis.
Your point about the rise of the Maratha nation is something new for me to think about …
[Reply]
mrinalini | 04.09.08 - 11:03 am |
@Racchit:
Hindutva is not represented by one political group - however u have to admit that all share the same hindu supremacist ideology. this ideology was first coined by savarkar - he was the one who coined the term hindutva. (even thought it existed before him). When i read his pamphlet, I STILL didn’t like the concept. Savarkars ideology is what hindutva groups today are more or less based on (maybe they don’t use him as their initiater - like the shiv sena- but shiv sena to me is pretty ‘Hindutva” - and goes along with what savarkar says. When shiv sena destroys shops on valentines day, it doesn’t do so in the name of marathi pride- it does so cos it feels valentines day is ruining Indian culture. Its being a bit too shortsighted if you say Shiv sena is not a Hindutva organization. We could go on about each and every different organization and whether they follow hindutva to the tee. But you can broadly say that the sangh parivar is a group of organizations with a hindutva ideology. being so specific would just make my note ultra long. But yes i agree with vaibhav, Raj Thackrey could be avoided in my earlier comment.
You may not like romila thapar, but most other academics ( the ones ive met at UT South Asian studies dept. plus all my history teachers at all my schools (2) - did like her. I personally like her too. There is saffronization in our cbse textbooks as well, with separate chapters like “Muslim politics” in class 12 and a lot of other examples (which my teacher once made a list of. maybe the example im giving is not the best, but seen in totality the book is to an extent saffronized). Schools which run on hindutva ideology have a bit higher level of saffronization in their curriculum when it comes of history textbooks. there is a reason that history books by hindutva groups are not being implemented more. I’m sure their math and science books are just fine.
Lets say i was a small time producer and was just starting out an didn’t have much money. I wouldn’t have the guts to make a film that would incense anyone. Id stick to the girl boy /dad love story thing. Not only films, what about art? if you read another article Ive written, hindutva groups targeted an art school and especially one artist for his artwork - deeming it hurtful to sentiments of hindus. artists and teachers from all over india came to protest but to no avail. the principal was chucked out and that kids exhibition taken down. hes never gonna create something again without thinking twice ( he was taken to jail btw)Are u really telling me that constant violent protests don’t stem creativity? creativity doesn’t just come from big/rich/producers - it comes from each and every one of us who feel we have something to lose. hell. if i think twice now before writing a comment on this article, id shut up all together if someone was standing on my head with a danda, waiting to bash me up. they don’t just protest art that they dislike, they take violent measures to make it goes away once and for all.
[Reply]
Racchit Thapliyal | 04.09.08 - 7:09 pm |
@ Mrinalini:
Owing to my CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome) I’ll make this short : )
“Hindutva is not represented by one political group - however u have to admit that all share the same hindu supremacist ideology. this ideology was first coined by savarker - he was the one who coined the term hindutva. (even thought it existed before him). When i read his pamphlet, I STILL didnt like the concept. Savarkars ideology is what hindutva groups today are more or less based on (maybe they dont use him as their initiater - like the shiv sena- but shiv sena to me is pretty ‘Hindutva” - and goes along with what savarkar says.”
I’m well aware of all this. Hindutva was, and remains, to a certain degree, one of my intellectual interests, and you can call me one if the likes of Arun Shourie classify as one : ). Also, I’d like to point out that the pamphlet on hindutva isn’t representative of the entirety of hindutva thought . You should get your hands on his collected letters, and read his correspondences with a number of key players in the pre-independence era, including the notes he exchanged with leaders of the muslim league and other Islamic leaders. Also, you should read my reply to Vaibhav where I pointed out the seeds of a hindu nation were laid during the rise of the Marathas. Anyway, I’m actually a fan of Veer Savarkar after having learnt about his invaluable contributions to history, academics and language.
Also, the Sangh parivar philosophy is based on the work of Gowalkar and Hegdewar, not Savarkar. Just because he originated the term, doesn’t mean everyone who talks about “hindutva” is thinking completely in line with Savarkar.
As an aside, if one keeps in mind the CONTEXT that Hindutva originated in, one will realize it was a natural outcome of the times- a reaction to the muslim league. I’m not supporting or blasting any of these, just stating a fact.
“Its being a bit too shortsighted if you say Shiv sena is not a Hindutva organization.”
Shiv Sena is INDEED NOT a Hindutva organization. It does, however, support the Sangh Parivar. Let me point out that the SHIV in Shiv Sena dervies from Chattrapati Shivaji, and not the Hindu Diety.
“You may not like romila thapar, but most other academics ( the ones ive met at UT South Asian studies dept. plus all my history teachers at all my schools (2) - did like her. I personally like her too.”
I like your overall position and the way you present your arguments but, I’d like to say this is an immature comment. Just because a number of people accept a certain view, it doesn’t become the INDISPUTABLE truth. It only becomes the “generally accepted viewpoint.” I can give countless examples of this from the hard sciences or the social sciences. Romila Thapar is an interesting lady but, as I pointed out earlier, her interpretation of history is essentially Marxist, which is just ONE way of looking at it. Anyway, Thapar has been lambasted numerous times for pushing VIEWPOINTS instead of FACTS in her work, and the absence of references is alarming in many cases. I urge you to read the book Vasudev recommended. It’s an interesting analysis of the work of Marxist academics.
“There is saffronization in our cbse textbooks as well”
Just because I berate Thapar, it doesn’t mean I support saffronization either. I hate both EQUALLY! Marxist history is just as unacceptable as saffronized history.
“I wouldnt have the guts to make a film that would incense anyone.”
I agree with you on this one, sure. However, I’ve studied the movie Fire, and people’s reactions to it, and I have concluded that it was the INCONGRUOUS references to the Ramayana that bothered people, not the idea of a Lesbian relationship in middle-class society.
“if i think twice now before writing a comment on this article, id shut up all together if someone was standing on my head with a danda, waiting to bash me up.”
Oh come on. If you really believe in what you’re saying, no one can hold you down.
[Reply]
Ketan Shah | 07.14.08 - 1:42 pm |
What we call secularism in India is nothing but rank amd shameless appeasement of minorities. Being a Hindu almost borders on committing a crime and the Hindus invariably get the short end of the stick.
BTW Who is truly secular in this country?
Was Rajiv Gandhi who denied poor Shah Bano her rights secular? Are those who tie up with Indian Union Muslim League secular ? What about those who carved out separate Muslim district of Mallapuram ?
People of this country have been hoodwinked for far too long by traitorous pseudos under the garb of secularism. Hindutva and Hinduism though different, stand side by side and will never confront each other no matter what Vaibhav wishes.
Intellectually atrophied Champagne socialists are doing greater harm to India than Jaishe Mohammed and Lashkare Toiba combined.
For Vaibhav’s information (citation 14), The great library of Alexandria was burnt by invading Arab Muslims and the books were used to heat bathwater for the soldiers. The Buddhist scholars at Nalanda were beheaded and the library was burnt by Khilji with fire raging on for months !
[Reply]
(author) | 07.19.08 - 7:52 am |
@ Ketan Shah
For you to claim that Hindus get the ’short end of the stick’ for simply being who they are is just invariably sitting down on one end of the ‘allegation seesaw’.
Calling me pseudo is fair, I dare not fight back but you’re not really ringing any bells here or driving any point home.
Through citation 14, my point in quoting whoever, was to say that by writing so we are in a way maintaining double standards. On the one hand, a picture of Arab Imperialism is being distributed whereas on the other, nationalistic origins and loyalties are being announced. Your references are fine .. you could even talk about something as subtle as the law of Dhimmitude. My point still stands.
[Reply]
I think enough debate has been done on this article, so I’ll just go ahead and say that it was a good article.
Cheers.
[Reply]
Hi! The post is really interesting! I’ve read your blog and can say it’s a good job.
[Reply]
@ Aditya & FAWiki
Thank you for the encouragement. Do check back for more stuff
[Reply]
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