World Religions › Modern › Hindu reform movements (Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj)
Hindu nationalism (Hindutva)
Savarkar's 'Hindutva' 1923· Belief or practice· Hindu, Buddhist, Jain & Sikh
Historical recordConfirmed by archaeology, outside sources or contemporary records.
A political ideology holding that India is at heart a Hindu nation, set out by V. D. Savarkar in 1923.
See it on the World Religions map →What it is
Savarkar, writing in a British prison, defined a Hindu as anyone for whom India is both fatherland and holy land. The RSS, a volunteer organization founded in Nagpur in 1925, spread the idea through daily drills and schools. Its political ally, the BJP, rose on a campaign for a Ram temple at Ayodhya, where activists demolished a 16th-century mosque in 1992. After a 2019 Supreme Court ruling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in office since 2014, inaugurated the temple in January 2024.
Why it matters
It has become the dominant force in Indian politics, reshaping debates over citizenship, history and the place of India's roughly 200 million Muslims.
Sources and history
Savarkar's text; RSS and BJP documents; election results; court rulings, including the 2019 Ayodhya verdict; and studies by scholars such as Christophe Jaffrelot.
Questions and debates
Supporters call it cultural pride and national unity; critics call it majoritarian. Whether it is a religious, cultural or political project is hotly contested.
Connections (2)
▸Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by an adherent of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva)Historical record
The connection
Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist and former RSS member active in the Hindu Mahasabha, shot Gandhi on January 30, 1948. He blamed Gandhi for Partition and for appeasing Muslims and Pakistan. Gandhi's inclusive Hinduism, which treated all religions as true, clashed with Hindutva. The government banned the RSS for over a year.
When and where
Birla House, New Delhi, January 30, 1948; Godse and Narayan Apte were hanged in November 1949.
Historical evidence
The 1948–49 trial record, Godse's courtroom statement, and the Kapur Commission report of 1969.
Questions and debates
Whether Godse had truly left the RSS is disputed; the RSS denies involvement. Savarkar was acquitted, though the Kapur Commission later raised suspicions.
▸Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) defines national identity through HinduismMostly agreed by scholars
The connection
Savarkar, himself an atheist, defined Hindutva, 'Hindu-ness', as a national and cultural identity rather than a faith. It includes Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, whose holy lands lie in India, but treats Muslims and Christians as outsiders. Supporters see cultural pride; critics say it equates Indian with Hindu. Many devout Hindus reject it.
When and where
India, Savarkar's 1923 text; RSS from 1925; BJP from 1980; Modi governments since 2014.
How do we know?
Savarkar's text, RSS and BJP statements, election data, and research by scholars such as Christophe Jaffrelot.
Questions and debates
Whether Hindutva expresses Hinduism or distorts it is fiercely argued in India; a 1995 Supreme Court ruling called Hindutva 'a way of life'.