Defining Hindutva

                           DEFINING HINDUTVA

HINDUTVA implies, among other qualities, entertaining warm feelings of camaraderie by a Hindu towards other Hindus irrespective of caste, region, language, ideology and country. It is essentially the feeling of ‘esprit d’e corps’ among Hindus towards each other.  Hindutva is feeling of bhai-chara of one Hindu towards another Hindu.

As we will see the principles of Hindutva are reiteration of various commandments of the Holy Vedas.

There is nothing anti-minority in it as is often made out by vested interests. Some Hindu politicians shy away from Hindutva succumbing to canard that it is anti-minority. Hindus were there in India even before the first Muslim or Christian set his foot in India therefore Hindutva cannot have any anti-minority ingredient. Politically it has been turned into a controversial term. Many critics of Hindutva fall into secular silence or come out with vague and faltering replies if asked to define Hindutva.

Absence of a definition of Hindutva, on one hand, lands even its supporters into embarrassing situations as they do not know with absolute certainty what they are supposed to support or oppose, and, on the other hand gives open space to its opponents to concoct wild distortions.

Learned scholars can speak for hours and hours explaining Hindutva. Even supporters of Hindutva find it difficult to explain Hindutva in a capsule form for benefit of general masses. For the benefit of general masses of Hindus and its speedy propagation it is desirable to define Hindutva in a capsule form.

The term Hindutva (हिन्दुत्व) has been used by Shri Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883-1966) in his book ‘Essentials of Hindutva’ which was completed during 1921-22. His 1923 pamphlet (entitled: Hindutva who is a Hindu?) also refers. In his book Savarkar says that Hinduism is only a fraction, a part of Hindutva. He said that Hindutva embraced all departments and thoughts of the whole being of the Hindu race. According to Savarkar all those who are loyal to Bharat and take it as their martibhumi, pitribhumi and punyabhumi are Hindus. It is expansive and all inclusive definition of Hindu and includes Muslims, Christians and followers of other faiths too who take Bharat as their martibhumi, pitribhumi and punyabhumi. This expansive definition is known as cultural definition of the term Hindu.


             In practical day to day usage Savarkar’s Hindutva implied ek dev, ek desh, ek jaat, ek janaa, and, ek jeev. In other words Savarkar’s Hindutva aims at transforming Hindu society which is fragmented horizontally and vertically into one mass by eradication of castes, abolition of untouchability, and emphasizing one culture, one nationality, and one God who is manifested in form of different deities. In fact, these are Rig Vedic commandments such as (RV X.191).

           Hindutava includes elements which go to constitute the total Hindu psyche. Naturally it would be a mix of religious, social and cultural ethos of Hindus on one hand, and, their version of their history and politics i.e. their version of their interactions with other communities and other countries.
     
              All persons living on the east of river Sindhu were collectively called by Zoroastrians [Parsies] who in Rigvedic period inhabited Iran as ‘Hindus’. Word sindhu appears in Rigveda many times and in Avesta, a religious book of Parsies, Sindhu is pronounced and written as Hindu.  Avesta is a contemporary of Rigveda. As foreigners came into India through Iran region they also addressed people living on the east of Sindhu river as Hindus. Therefore it is incorrect to say that the term ‘Hindu’ was invented by invading Arab Muslims.

            In Arabic all Indians are called al-hindi, in Kiswahili all Indians are called mu-Hindi or wa-hindi and in French indi, in English Indian and in Japanese indojin. Foreigners thus treat we all Indians [Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Bengali, Malyali, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi speaking etc] as one people i.e. Hindi people. In Dubai I was addressed as ‘hindi consul’ or ‘consul-al-aam-al-hindia’. It is our Indian politicians and myopic intellectuals who divide us into different groups vertically and horizontally.

           The Supreme Court of India has ruled that Hindutva is neither synonymous with Hinduism nor is hostile or intolerant of other religions. It also held that appeal to voters in name of Hindutva is not a corrupt practice under the Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1951. In its judgment December11, 1995 it observed: “Hindutva is indicative more of the way of life of the Indian people. It is not to be understood or construed narrowly. It is not Hindu fundamentalism nor is it to be confined only to the strict Hindu religious practices or as unrelated to the culture and ethos of the people of India, depicting the way of life of the Indian people. Considering Hindutva as hostile, inimical, or intolerant of other faiths, or as communal proceeds from an improper appreciation of its true meaning.” (AIR1996, SC1113).
   
       Hindutva is anchored on Hindu ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ and Rigvedic richa ‘ekam sad vipra bahudha vadyanti’ (One God through different routes) [RV (1.164.46)] so it is an all inclusive term; it assures non-hostile treatment to even those who follow different paths of worship but owe no allegiance to foreign countries and to foreigners, and, are not hostile either to Hindus or to Bharat. In this spirit Hindutva welcomes all people practicing even different modes of worships with open arms without insisting upon their conversion into Hinduism. It proves Hindutva is all inclusive.  Unlike Islam and Christianity, Hindutva does not insist upon conversions either by force or fraud. Hindutva includes all those people under its wings who opt to be covered under the Hindutva umbrella. It is not aggressive suo motu but is not submissive to aggressors. It is naturally combative against those who are hostile to it. It does not abdicate right of self defence. It encourages inculcating martial spirit so as to help the Hindu Samaj defend Bharat better and effectively. This component of inculcating martial spirit among Hindu masses is vehemently opposed by myopic Hindus as well as Hindu baiters who want to see Hindus divided, meek and submissive as in the past.


             Hindutva is a multi-dimensional global concept encompassing various factors such as cultural, economic, historical, religious, political, social etc as experienced by the Hindu samaj.  So for a reformer it is a sociological term, for a cultural organization it is a cultural term, for a narrow minded political party it may be a political term.

           Hindutva accepts that all natives of Bharat share a common culture, history and ancestry. It is also known as cultural nationalism. MS Golwalkar, the former RSS Sarsanghachalak believed that India's diversity in terms of customs, traditions and ways of worship was its uniqueness and that this diversity was not without the strong underlying cultural basis which was essentially native. He believed that Hindu natives with all their diversity, shared among other things “the same philosophy of life”, “the same values” and “the same aspirations” which formed a strong cultural and a civilizational basis for a nation. Unity in diversity has roots in Rig Veda and continues to be a pillar of Hindutva.

         At the 1961 Madurai AICC session, Jawaharlal Nehru also affirmed this cultural unity of India, an integral component of Hindutva. He told the AICC: “India for ages past is a country of pilgrimage. All over the country, you find ancient places from Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Amarnath in the North to Kanyakumari in the South. It is the feeling of one country and one culture that binds us together.”

         Shri Mohan Rao Bhagwat, incumbent RSS Sarsanghachalak also conveyed the same in Jammu: “We have forgotten that Hindus from Rameshwaram to Amarnath are one, and, let us start within our self rekindling/maintaining this unity among the Hindus.” (Organiser, September 6, 2009).

           The Organiser of October 11, 2009 quoted Shri Bhagwat saying that RSS work is to unite all Hindus which is what Rig Veda commands.

         Hindutva is not a regional, not a country specific but a global concept embracing all Hindus living in any part of the world. Bhagwat rightly said: “A Hindu is a Hindu till he feels pain about other Hindus living in any part of the world.” (Organiser, September 6, 2009).

        

            Dr Hedgewar, founder of the RSS said: "Ours is the mission to organise the entire Hindu society. No section of it, can we afford to neglect. However, high or low an individual may consider himself to be, our regard for every Hindu shall always be equally full of love and affection. To despise any Hindu as low is a nothing short of a sin." [Organiser, April 10, 2011].

           Restoring social equality among all Hindus as commanded by Vedas, a basic ingredient of Hindutva, is the primary goal of the RSS and Bharat Raksha Manch.

                Gandhiji repeatedly clarified that his non-violence principle was not for cowards as only strong could forgive. In wake of Saharanpur riot of 1923 Gandhiji said: “rather than getting angry with Muslims for their violence I, being a Hindu, feel more ashamed of cowardice of Hindus……Between violence and cowardly submission/escape I would prefer violence.” In Young India of May 29, 1924 Gandhiji again wrote: “Should Hindus hold Muslims responsible for their own cowardice? Oppressors go where so ever there are cowards.” In other words Gandhiji again and again exhorted Hindus to give up their cowardice which is what RSS has been attempting independently since its inception by organizing them.

      Guru Golwalkar also advised: “The world worships only the strong. Whatsoever the external condition, it is the weak who has to suffer. To remain weak is the most heinous sin in the world as this would destroy oneself and incite feelings of violence in others (aggressors).” (Bunch of Thoughts, p 271). He said everyone sacrifices poor goat but no one dares sacrifice a lion. 

       Therefore, Hindutva urges organisation and unity among Hindus which bring strength.

Vedas inculcate martial spirit too as more than half of richas of Rigveda are on war making.

        Hindutva implies having self confidence and pride in Hindu heritage and Hindu culture as well as to have strong urge to regain our glorious past which our ancestors lost to invaders.

      Hindutva includes undying determination to regain equality in Bharat for realising one’s full potential i.e. a Hindu shall no more be asked to pay higher taxes compared to non-Hindus as his ancestors were forced during the Islamic rule (jaziya, higher land revenue, pilgrimage tax, higher custom duty etc) nor he shall be denied a position simply on ground of him being a Hindu.

In brief the followings should be eight essential ingredients of Hindutva:

[1] Vedas are the Supreme Scriptures of Hindus.

[2] Vedas do not sanction birth based castes. RV (V.60.5) commands that no one is superior or inferior by birth. One is free to select his profession as per his aptitude [guna] and skills acquired by efforts [karma]. Vedas command that all Hindus are equal by birth sharing same God, deities, temples; food and water etc. vide {RV. VIII.93.13}, {RV. X.191}, {AV. III.30}, {AV.VI.64} and Yajur {26.04} etc. These are the principles of social equality and social harmony of Hindutva [i.e. ek dev, ek janaa ,ek jaati and ek jeev].

    Hindutva is rooted in twin ethos of ‘Vashudhaiva kutumbakam ‘and ‘ekam sad vipra bahudha vadyanti’ so it is an all inclusive term; it assures non-hostile treatment to even those who may follow different paths of worship.

[3] In Vedas the word ‘dravida’ stands for rich, opulence. Rishi Kanva who was revealed many richas of Rigveda was himself a dark skinned person [RV.X.31.11]. Therefore the Arya -dravida divide is artificial one invented by Christian imperialists to weaken Hindus. Modern genetic studies also do not support the myth of Aryan-Dravidian divide. This is the meaning of the principle of ek desh, ek janaa of Hindutva.

[4] Vedas sanction total gender equality and widow remarriage, the principle of ek jeev. 

[There are at least 29 lady risikas who were revealed richas of Rigveda. It means God considered women eligible on par with men for receiving divine revelations. There are at least nine richas in Vedas sanctioning marriage of a widow to a living person. There is no Vedic richa sanctioning sati, widow burning]

  [5] Vedas prohibit killing of cows repeatedly declaring it aghanya. Vedas [RV.X.87] inform that agni [God] terminates life span of beef eaters so Vedas prohibit beef eating to avoid pre-mature death.

    Now modern Science admits that beef eating causes deadly mad cow diseases [BSE, CJD, vCJD etc] which are non-curable, infectious as well as genetic terminating family tree of infected ones at faster pace.

[6] Bharat is the sacred motherland of all Hindus and its sanctity has to be upheld. It is the principle of ek desh implying single nationality of all Hindus living in any part of Bharat. Give up cowardice and inculcate martial spirit to oppose tyranny & injustice and to defend Bharat.

[7] Ill treatment of Hindus in any manner and anywhere in the world shall be opposed by all Hindus in peaceful & lawful manner. All Hindus living abroad irrespective of languages they speak shall enjoy right of abode in Bharat if persecuted there.

[8] Laws, rules and regulations which impose unequal treatment on Hindus in Bharat vis-à-vis non-Hindus shall be opposed through ballot boxes and repealed.

    

    Thus the Constitution of India and the Hindutva principles converge on many points such as equality of all Hindus by birth, gender equality, abolition of untouchability & social harmony among all faiths, single pan-India nationality etc.

        

     By opting to become victims of distorted versions of Hindutva spread by vested interests some Rightist Hindu politicians have been blowing hot and cold on Hindutva inviting their own electoral defeats.

 [For details of Vedic richas please see my book ‘VEDIC EQUALITY & HINDUISM’. It is available from: nab@vsnl.in]