Dialogue Example
Two friends, Jeffery and Lane who are both undergrad religious studies students sit down
to watch the documentary film, The World Before Her. As the movie ends the two friends
remained in their respective seats and have a discussion over the film, and in a broader sense,
what Hindu Nationalism means.
Jeffrey: So, Durga Vahini is clearly a terrorist organization.
Lane: It certainly gives off that impression. If nothing else, Prachi exhibits internalized misogyny
(The World Before Her).
Jeffrey: I will agree there, she seems to give off an aura of just going through the motions. But
that is neither here nor there. I never would have expected the word Hindu to be followed by the
word terrorist. They seem so peaceful.
Lane: I would argue that the word terrorist could follow the name of any religion. It is not so
much that the religion preaches these, as you call it, terrorist ideals, but rather radicalization of
the practitioners that do. It seems evident to me that this is a small glimpse into a particularly
radical group of people who are moving towards Hindutva.
Jeffrey: Hindutva, I have heard that term. That came about in 1923 I believe, after Vinayake
Damodar Savarkar published his book Hindutva: Who is a Hindu? (Rodrigues, 300). The term
Hindutva comes from that book, it means “Hinduness”. It was meant to categorize all the people
whom live in the Indian Subcontinent (Rodrigues, 300).
Lane: Yes, 1923 sounds about right. Britain had long colonized India by then. They exploited the
caste system to control the people (The Hindu Caste System, YouTube). Savarkar is rousing the
people to wake up and realize they are losing their culture. Think about it, there was an influx of
Christian missionaries that were actively leading social reforms in the country (Rodrigues, 296).
Jeffrey: Sure, there were Christian missionaries, but just like today their theologies never really
solidified in the area. And religion challenges aside, whether we like it or not the British
improved India. Think of all the telegraph lines, railways and other infrastructure brought by the
British (Rodrigues, 296)
Lane: Improved by who’s standards? Your ethnocentrism is showing.
Jeffrey: You got me there. But, really, think of all the teachings in the Vedas that allow for the
mistreatment of people and forces some to live in slums with no real opportunity for
improvement in their lives. I am not trying to suggest that the British were, “white saviors,” but
think of the implications of the Vedic teachings left unaltered.
Lane: It is easy to think of what would happen. All we must do is look at the culture that thrived
for literally thousands of years with out the help of anyone else. Again, you are being
ethnocentric. Of course, no one wants people to be abused or cast to the side. But we can not
force cultures to change, because if we do, we get groups like Durga Vahini. The people feel
cornered and feel the need to save themselves.
Jeffrey: Are you suggesting that the oppressive ideals are ok, because they do not affect you?2
Lane: Not even a little bit, I am just saying we can not force change in cultures that we are not a
part of.
Jeffrey: Alright, so let us go back. The book comes out and the people who swear by it create
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sang. We call them the RSS for short. This group is made up of
volunteers who take up this cause, Hindutva. We know that by this point the Congress Party was
pushing for India to separate its government from Hinduism. We know that the two were to work
independently of each other and that India would call for religious freedom. But what I think you
may be too hung up on is the religious notion of Hinduism. Hindutva was much more than that.
The RSS wanted everyone to be under the “cultural category” of Hindutva. Buddhist, Muslims, it
did not matter. Anyone who lived in the Indian subcontinent were to be referred to as Hindus
(Rodrigues, 301).
Lane: You are right. Gandhi himself was pressing for inclusivity yet was against separating the
groups people of the continent. He was just as much a backer of the notion of Hindutva as many
others. However, his interpretation of Hindutva did not save him from the RSS. He was
assassinated by a member for his views on the need for inclusivity. This is what led to the
organization being outlawed by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (Rodrigues, 301).
Jeffrey: Yeah, and I think that is when Hindutva started to become radicalized. With the RSS
outlawed, the government is essentially saying, “The people in this organization have illegal
ideals.” They did not say, murder is illegal and then just punish the murderer, they punished the
whole group. Thereby they made all the people who held the ideals, “illegal”. Sure, we hope they
did not advocate for murder, but it would not matter at this point because their thoughts were
now illegal. It’s a perfect storm for radicalization.
Lane: Of course! And the people who hold these ideals feel that their religion is distinctively tied
to the ground they walk on. Like Shinto, is to Japan. The geography is created in the religion’s
stories.
Jeffrey: Exactly!
Lane: The Hindu Goddess Sati, she’s dismembered right? And her body becomes part of the
land. Their religion is telling them the land beneath their feet was created specifically for them
by their god (Rodrigues, 302).
Jeffrey: And then the country almost chooses a national anthem that calls India the Divine
Mother yet recants after it was too “Hindu”. Nothing like saying someone’s identity is “too
much” (Rodrigues 302).
Lane: Who is that goddess? Maybe it is Bharat Mata, who nurtures Mother Earth?
Jeffrey: Yep! That is her, our textbook not only said she was the “embodiment of sacred
geography” but the “personification of Hindu society” (Rodrigues, 303)
Lane (Sarcastically): Strong words to describe just some “fleeting” religious character.
Jeffrey: No kidding, but that is what happens when governments attempt to separate themselves
from the dominate religions of their countries. The geographical and cultural significance of
deities gets watered down or in some cases made more palatable and demythicized.
Lane: Then the people feel thrown away.
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