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Hindutva: Exploring the Idea of Hindu Nationalism: by Jyotirmaya Sharma

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Hindutva: Exploring the Idea of Hindu Nationalism: by Jyotirmaya Sharma Hindutva: Exploring the Idea of Hindu Nationalism. regardless of their faith to regain freedom from the By Jyotirmaya Sharma. (Noida: HarperCollins British. Brotherhood was necessary —but they Publishers India, 2015. 240 pp. ISBN 978-93- should keep in mind that the nation will always 5177-397-9). have the Hindu spirit, despite Muslims fighting along. Here, Sharma ascertains that the relation- In 2003 Jyotirmaya Sharma first published ship between politics and spirituality begins to Hindutva: Exploring the Idea of Hindu National- merge. With regard to the third chapter on Swami ism. He intended to trace a genealogy of Hindu Vivekananda, the author points out that the identity and to analyse the idea that Hindu na- former lived during a period when India needed tionalism and Hindu identity in India can become a spiritual and nationalist awakening as seen in indistinguishable. Hindutva is predicated on an the Bengali Renaissance. Vivekananda’s aim to assumed consensus about what constitutes Hindu regenerate Hinduism was complemented with an identity and differentiates it from the ways of life agenda for social transformation that eventually and values of “others,” especially Muslims. The would guide his people into achieving freedom. reviews on Sharma’s book coincided in pointing The last essay in the book focuses, finally, on the out his shortened but rigorous exploration of militant Hindu nationalist who coined the term Hindu nationalism in the recent past, but also Hindutva, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. For him, the fact that the book had obvious flaws. These the only effective way to obtain and keep political Sharma acknowledged and tried to offset in this freedom is bound to a common, articulated, and second edition. The book has now a new and assertive nationalist banner. That is the central clearer introduction where he outlines the main tenet of his foundational book, Hindutva: Who is ideas that formed the right-wing ideological basis a Hindu? (1923). His postulates hold a central role of this nationalist movement. Then, in his attempt in the vote bank loyal to BJP (Bharatiya Janata to discover the roots of Hindutva, he studies the Party) and RSS, (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), works of four major figures of the late 19th- and quest of supremacist Bharat. early 20th century of Hindu revivalist movement: There is definitely exploration but no discus- Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Aurobindo, Swami sion, unfortunately. I assume that, in an attempt to Vivekananda and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. stick to an objective analysis, the author refrained 275 Despite his different approaches to these four from giving an opinion of his own to inform personalities, Sharma selects them for a common the prospective readers. Far from encouraging agenda. They managed to have Hinduism inter- a debate, this could make them feel disoriented. preted and morphed into a rigid, codified, mono- The book does not provide enough socio-cultural chromatic all-encompassing ideology; definitely background of 19th century India; nor does it even its masculist, aggressive discourse was crucial to mention how Hindutva foundational texts were establishing its supremacy over other religions. received —which would have further clarified the His essay begins with an analysis of Day- motivation and their arguments. I do agree that ananda Saraswati’s interpretation of the Vedas. this book is based on deep reading, research and Sharma traces back to the early 19th century an at- academic experience, but the reader not famil- tempt to culturally homogenise India, which was iarised with the topic should seek previous back- corrupted by divergence. Accordingly, all other ground readings before approaching Sharma’s. religions practiced in India, and particularly, This notwithstanding, it still may be a required Islam, must be considered inferior compared to further reading for students of Indian history, the Vedic faith. With the British involvement in culture and politics, especially in these times of India from the 18th century and the later direct emerging right-wing populism, nationalism and rule by the British Crown, the Hindu-Muslim Islamophobia in India and elsewhere. conflict was deferred in the presence of a common enemy. This idea is further explored by Sri Aurob- Tibisay García indo who, taking part of the Indian movement Universidad de La Laguna for independence, supported the union of Indians DOI: https://doi.org/10.25145/j.recaesin.2018.76.22 REVISTA CANARIA 275-275 DE ESTUDIOS PP. INGLESES, 2018, 76;.
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