The Genealogy of V. D. Savarkar's Hindutva Ideology

The Four “Deaths” in His Lifetime

Abstract

V. D. Savarkar is recognized as the pioneer in explicitly defining “Hindutva,” which lays the ideological foundation for the modern Hindu nationalism movement in India. This paper explores the evolution of his thoughts leading up to his seminal work, The Essentials of Hindutva (1923), by categorizing the process into early, middle, and late phases and analyzing them chronologically. Initially, contrary to previous studies, it is shown that in the early phase, Savarkar advocated an ideal of inter-religious cooperation, aligning with Gandhi's ideas. The paper then demonstrates a fundamental transformation in Savarkar's thoughts from the middle to the late phase. Specifically, despite the large-scale religious uprising by Muslim peasants (Moplahs) in Malabar during the first Non-cooperation Movement, Gandhi continued to advocate for forgiveness from the victims while only minimally condemning the aggressors. In stark contrast, Savarkar, rooted in his distinctly “rational” perspective, shifted to promote a militaristic ideology focused on “Hindu” self-defense, directly challenging Gandhi's principle of non-violence. This shift highlights a significant ideological evolution in Savarkar, marking a departure from earlier views towards a more assertive form of Hindu nationalism.