Hindu (Hindutva) Nationalism...Any Thoughts?

A

Andre'

Guest
I really wanted to start this thread because I would like to know various opinions on this matter. I was wondering what people think of the RSS, VHP, and BJP and what they are doing? Hindu Nationalism is proliferating along with religious fundamentalism worldwide. The Temple situation is a hot debate that has been going on since 1992, when the Hindutva tore the temple down with their bare hands, that is the extremist Hindutva, and it inclinated the volitility beyond what already was engendered. I would love comments, bias or not. I certainly am not making any asserevations about this, although I research it all the time, I dont' live there and can not empathize, but I would love comments and hot conversation.

Also, I would love comments on the "Explaining Hindu Dharma: A Teacher's Guide" and if anyone has come across it. This is a publishcation from the VHP trying to amalgamate particle physics and the Vedas. It asserts that all that we know of modern physics is originated in the Vedas. The science in this Guide is truly unbelieveable and extensive and I wonder if people think that this true?
 
Hi André

Hindu Fundamentalism is an oxymoron. The like of the BJP are thinly cloaked fascists and should be ignored. As the Indian population did in the last election in India, and as we know Hindus make up the vast majority in India. Even then the term “fundamental” cannot be analogous to Christian fundamentalism nor Islamic which are truly world wide and in parts threatening the core values of there respective societies.

“Nationalism is the last vestige of the scoundrel” as Dr Johnson once said.

As for Vedic science. This is something that I’ve noticed proliferating throughout religion; there’s even a thread in the Islamic forum discussing the Qu’rans claim to hold scientific truths and many a fundamental Christian would claim the earth is 6000 years old and would cite the Bible as proof.

Hinduism sadly has just started to ape these bizarre attitudes. Of course I’m open to being wrong, but it all seems a bit far fetched.

This is only my opinion so more thoughts would be welcome from board members.

Peace
 
My first day here and already I like the climate! :D

Half of my graudate work was on Hindu Nationalist Politics.

I agree that the Sangh Parivar are simply fascists... Though there are European Scholars like Frawley and Est who claim to validate the various scenarios of the nats, they are easily seen for what they are.

The RSS are (virtually) the Hitler youth of India
The Bajrang Dal are (very much) like Hitler's SA

Golwalkar himself agreed with Nazi Germany's 'approach' to a homogenous society (granted he was writing in '38 IIRC)...

Though I haven't seen the text redindica was talking about, I would LOOVE to get a hold of it... I have a pamphlet which was circulated by the VHP which deals with the (their) concept of Hinduism as 'Sanatana Dharma'.. It's quite precious really.

One of the great things about the Nat'lst mvmnt is the fact the Bal Tilak (one of the forefathers of the movement) attested to the evidence in the Vedas that the Aryan homeland was in the arctic... Though Karsevaks and their ilk would have you believe that the Indus Valley sites are the remnants of very early Aryan settlements... That the Aryans spread out from India... Pardon me Bharata Varsha... In an effort to illuminate the rest of the world... when their work was done, they came back to India... No good nationalist will concede that Aryan (Hindu) society is the product of an alien intelligence.

The VHP is seeking to steamroll and whitewash the incredibly diverse Hindu faith structure and infuse it with nationalist sentiment.... I mean Chinmayananda himself was a fervent nationalist before he became involved wwith the RSS and founded the VHP...

Sorry... I've digressed....

Sub


BTW Redindica- what Yantra is that?
 
Hi Sub


couldnt agree with you more, and welcome! :)

(The Yantra is Krisna's btw).

Peace
 
Welcome to CR, all three of you. :)

It's a good topic as well, and interesting to hear things stated quite outright that I had otherwise heard less overtly spoken...
 
*heh*


Y'know, I've been on other forums where rabid nationalism flares up from some of the regular Hindu posters, and this in turn, gives a (shall we say) slanted view on Islam in India... And it appears that not many (either because of lack of information or lack of conviction) respond critically to these views. Intolerance is intolerance is intolerance.

BTW have any of you seen the documentary "In The Name of God"?

It chronicles the Rath Yatra and the Ayodhya 'incident'.
And also, for a European (sympathetic would be a HUUUGE understatement) scholarly view, see this site:

http://koenraadelst.voiceofdharma.com/

*sigh*
The next ten years should be interesting...

Sub
 
Hi Sub,

subculture_of_one said:
BTW have any of you seen the documentary "In The Name of God"?
It chronicles the Rath Yatra and the Ayodhya 'incident'.
Click to expand...
Is this the documentary that aired on PBS a couple of years ago? If this is the one, I've seen it. Quite scary, really.

Though I haven't seen the text redindica was talking about, I would LOOVE to get a hold of it... I have a pamphlet which was circulated by the VHP which deals with the (their) concept of Hinduism as 'Sanatana Dharma'.. It's quite precious really.
Click to expand...
Pardon my ignorance on this whole nationalist issue, but how do they define "Sanatana Dharma"? Normally Hindus just use the term Sanatana Dharma as a synonym for Hinduism, how is their definition different?

Thanks.
 
Hi All

all good points made well. Just on the question of usage of the term Sanatana Dharma, I really do not see this as a symbol of the right. It's the name we gave our faith thousands of years ago and therefore justified in being used.

One thing that we must not forget that throughout western rule of India Sanatana Dharma was resoundley missinterpreted and miss represented, it's important that these issues be re dressed without recourse to nationalism.

Peace.
 
True true. However, the Parivar have taken the multifacteted-ness (I declare this to be a WORD! :D ) of the term so that they can insert their own particulars into it.
The VHP is (has been) very active in bringing multitudes of Hindus from inside different traditions together to 'get on the same page' as to what Hinduism actually is.

The VHP then says: "Ok, since we all have different approaches t the divine, etc. and a variety of views on different spiritual terms, lets get down to what we can agree on." Once the very basic tenets are established, the VHP can begin 'Reassembling' Hinduism as it sees fit, i.e. emphasizing certain nationalistic ideals, ideas, and individuals over others... This new (Parivar-ized) Sanatana Dharma is 'redistributed' to holy men and women for dissemination among their followers, &c. The parivar sweetens the deal by 'supporting' those religious leaders who espouse (Parivar) Sanatana Dharma by way of financial support, medical supplies, etc.


As to the statement that Sanatana Dharma (for typing sake, hereafter S.D. :) ) being used from a long way back within India...

Again, I couldn't agree more. Whenever I teach Hinduism, I start by addressing the term 'Hinduism' and then move into Dharma and how it applies. This is one of the problems from a Western perspective- S.D. has been used throughout the years in India, In the West it's very closely associated with the Parivar. I think this is exactly why it's important to address their usage of a term that many Indians see as 'natual' by a movement that is capitalizing off of the long-lived assumption that S.D. being eternal and unchanging, is as it always was. When in reality, the Parivar is giving their version of S.D.

Sub
 
Hi Sub


Some interesting points made well there. It’s taken me some time to ponder the questions raised on this thread. I’ve come to the conclusion that the “fundamental Hindu’s” for want of a better phrase, are seeing that extremism seems to be prophesizing (sp?) across the world. Islamic states setting up exclusively Islamic systems of Government, to the exclusion of other systems of faith. The Christian Right’s power in North America seems to be gaining ground with a born again Christian President. The Jewish nation being held to ransom by Zionists bent on creating a “greater Israel” Its no wonder that some Hindus will see this gaining of ground by extremist elements across the world and dream of a “Hindu Nation”

I think it very important that we (the moderate Hindus) do everything within our powers to counter this propensity toward extremism within our faith. It’s also important that with the rise of global secularism and a rule of law that states “each to their own” (within legal boundaries of course) and the universal acceptance of democracy that Hinduism is the first true secular system that the world has known, and that India’s adherence to democracy against severe strains throughout the past 60 years when the countries that surround it are (to put it mildly) despotic in nature. Should be a beacon for all the oppressed throughout the world that democracy is possible and acceptance of other faiths is also possible…as India has shown for the last 5, 0000 years and indeed is written into our scriptures that arrogance is the worst form of conceit.

This is why I believe that the Likes of the BJP are fundamentally Un-Hindu. If we follow their path we become just like everyone else who want to suppress freedom thoughout the world.

Peace
 
Agreed..... About the need for moderate (read: IMO-true) Hindus to speak out and keep the Parivar from becomming the face of Hinduism abroad. In the middle of the 20th century in the US, Hinduism was seen as 'touchy-feely' or 'profoundly more spiritual than anything in the west' etc. Now, with public awareness of fundamentalism and extremism on the rise, India's 'political' Hinduism is becomming more visible in the west.


Sub
 
I think comparing groups like RSS to Hitler is overexaggeration. Unless people have forgotten, that man wanted to eradicate an entire race. The RSS is obviously nationalistic and believe in what would be considered chauvinistic and jingoistic ideals, but in no way are they racists.
 
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