This is the book review of the book Hunduvtva authored by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Since the discussion is going to be lengthy, I have decided to divide the content into various parts to make it easier for readers to consume. The cover page shown above is the original one and then subsequent revisions look different. Please do not get mislead by the price tag as during those days, this was at par with the market.
In Part-1 of this study, I have concentrated on the cover page of the book. I often judge the book by its cover and preface. This gives an idea of the vision of the author and his ideologies.
The following observations I have from the cover page shown above: -
1. The frequently used word is “Land” which appeared thrice. In a way this connects us to the geography or piece of earth. Coverage indicates land is the most important component.
2. For many, the use of Fatherland may be surprising. You will realize later that the concept of Savarkar’s Hindutva revolves around this Fatherland. This is interesting because the Nazis used it in Germany for similar reasons. This connects to ownership of the land. Motherland was defined as “the land of one’s mother or parents,” and fatherland as “the native land of one’s fathers or ancestors.” Another explanation is that motherland is a country that has or had a lot of colonies while a fatherland is the country of one’s birth. It is linked to the holding and ownership pattern of land, where forefathers lived and ancestry can be established. When you call a land a fatherland, you are restricting it to a few. When you call it a motherland, you are widening the ownership. Attaching it to the definition of Hindutva, ownership is established about the land and its ancestry. Further, it is established through the holy-land which is linked to Vedas where Sapta-Sindhu is referred to as holy-land. The Borderland (not mentioned on the cover page) and Cradle land are even more interesting but we will come to those in the subsequent sections.
3. Savarkar talks about the elimination of Dasas. The word Sapta-Sindhu is from Rigveda which depicts the region, Vajra is Thunder-bolt used by Indra to eliminate the barbarians called Dasas (Panees, the Dasas, the Vratyas are used). It does not reveal or clearly articulate who he means by Dasas but we will see in the subsequent part. Indra is the most prominent God in RigVeda.
So to summarize, it is about land, identity, ownership and rights, exclusivity, victory over Dasas (barbarians) using the jurisdiction articulated in RigVeda. It gives directional guidance on what is going to come. Certainly, it is about isolation, domination, victory, and rights. A couple of words from Rigveda plugged into the cover page possibly bring it some legitimacy.
This book has been the foundation of the Hindutva concept practiced today and provides the basis to the largest social organization — RSS. Hence it is necessary to understand and uncover what Savarkarji has tried to communicate in his book. Unfortunately, many refer to the concept of Hindutva without even knowing what it is. We have seen the tip of the iceberg and wait for more details on subsequent parts.
Please read Part 2 to understand the discusses the dilemma of Hindu and Sindhu which Savarkar tried to resolve unsuccessfully.
