Soul and Sword: The History of Political Hinduism

by Hindol Sengupta

Political Hinduism was once considered a sort of fringe ideology, shadowy and even misunderstood. Its ideas and narratives seemed, in popular discourse, to lack analytical rigour and were easily dismissed.
But history shows that political Hinduism as an intellectual idea was a pioneering theme in India’s nationhood. In fact, it precedes the Indian republic and has been one of the most resilient political theories of India, which survived many bans, boycotts and decades out of power to become, in the twenty-first century, the predominant political force of India. The adherents of political Hinduism are as determined as its detractors—one complains about facing relentless prejudice; the other throws accusations of promoting continuous religious strife. One believes that India cannot be saved without decimating political Hinduism; the other is sanguine that only political Hinduism can save the future of India.
Soul and Sword traces the journey of political Hinduism from events that are critical to its self-narration, that is, early Indian resistance to invasions, to intellectual definitions by nineteenth-century littérateurs and more contemporary electoral politics. It tries to understand the context and historical sources used to construct and promote political Hinduism’s world view.
From award-winning writer Hindol Sengupta, Soul and Sword is absolutely critical reading to understand India’s present and future.

Genres: History, India, Politics

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2023

About the author

Hindol Sengupta (born 1979) is an Indian journalist and entrepreneur, who is the award-winning author of eight books.
In 2017, he was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. His three new upcoming books are a narrative non-fiction, a historical fiction and a history of the free markets in India to be published by Penguin and Simon & Schuster. Among his recent books is the bestselling Being Hindu: Old Faith, New World and You, The Modern Monk: What Vivekananda Means To Us Today, and The Sacred Sword: The Legend of Guru Gobind Singh. He is the youngest winner of the PSF prize for public service, an award won by, among others, the late Indian scientist and President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Reviews

[Harsh Agrawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soul and Sword : The History of Political Hinduism

Author: Hindol Sengupta

Published by: Penguin Viking

Genre: Political History

Pages: 327

MRP: Rs. 699/-

Acknowledgement: Thank you @penguinindia for a media copy of the book



The book is an attempt to tell the intellectual history of political Hinduism, or the ideology of Hindu nationalism, that shapes the current ruling party of India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The author argues that political Hinduism is the defining force of India’s present and future, and that it has a specific vision of India’s place and role in the world.


The introduction begins with a distinction between Hinduism, the religion, and political Hinduism, the politics. The author claims that this book is not about the former, but the latter. He then proceeds to explain why political Hinduism matters, by highlighting its influence and popularity in India and abroad, as well as its geostrategic implications and ambitions. He also acknowledges the controversy and debate surrounding political Hinduism, both within and outside India, and the different perspectives and interpretations of its origins and evolution.


Continue reading the review here: https://www.keetabikeeda.in/post/soul...

[Utkarṣa Miśra (मिश्रोपाख्यों उत्कर्षः) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyman Beecher once said, “No greater advance has ever been made in science, politics or religion, without controversy.” Yet many people often yearn to avoid controversies reaching their doorstep. For such mankind, all I could say is, controversy is only dreaded by the advocates of error.

Today’s political discourse in our country is beefed up with controversies. “Political Hinduism” being at the centre stage. Political Hinduism or Hindutva or Hindu Nationalism, call it whatever pleases your tongue, but this subject has been super successful to attain international heed, but unfortunately in mediocre or poor terms.

To battle with the controversies surrounding this subject, I have a brought an effectual account on to the table — “Soul And Sword: The History of Political Hinduism” by Hindol Sengupta. A timely intervention into the modern intellectual (indic) literature which would arm you with factual & insightful history about Political Hinduism.

Divided into six chapters, the book takes off by serving a relevant contrast between Hinduism as Religion and Hinduism as Political Force (Hindutva / Political Hinduism). It is imperative to have a clear distinction between these two highly viable terms in order to wrestle with the current controversies which have sole intention to lower down the nationalistic impulse, and to tone down the image of Hinduism globally.

The book solidifies our argument and gives us voice to support this nationalist movement which is by far the only way through to secure our existence as humans, and as a civilisation. We are living in times where the clash of civilisations is inevitable. And if you don’t become competent enough, you don’t stand no chance to survive.

This battle is not a Kinetic Warfare, but a War of Narratives which will be in play on the battlefield. So being proficient and acquiring skills in playing the narrative game, demands you to learn the ideology rationally which you standby. And that is the purpose this books aims to serve.

In first chapter, the book ponders upon the roots of Hindutva, its origins and purpose which are contrary of popular, rather false beliefs. Second chapter provides a stringent counter to narrative where it discusses the Monarchy period of Bharat from Sisodiya Dynasty, Gurjara-Pratiharas, Paramara, Vijaynagar and etc uptil Marathas. Left Narrative which adamantly claims that these kings were just guarding their borders and had no affiliation towards the protection for Hinduism, falls flat with the insights provided in this chapter.

Moving ahead in Chapter three & four, we find an amalgamation of broad topics which includes post independence challenges which were instilled by the then government on Hindutva Movement in garb of pseudo secularism and socialist approach of Democracy. The chapters also brief us about how modernity and traditional approach of Hinduism could run parallel while taking the nationalistic interests in mind.

Approaching towards the end of — chapter five & six, we have details focused majorly around late 80s and early 90s, time period when Ram Janmbhoomi Movement was at peak and we witnessed a fall of Babri Structure which set a new standards in political parlance. We also get know about the BJP (the current ruling party) and its close affiliation to Hindutva and its ideology. Rise of Narendra Modi and his Hindu centric politics and measures.

Length of the book (six chapters) may appear less, but it encapsulates loads of information which either remained censored, or people did not bother to go through. In six chapters, the book houses informations of nearly 200 years which are evident to assert that the of Hindu Nationalism promotes “inclusivity”.

However, the historical references of Kings who once lord over Bharat also make it observable to say — Inclusivity comes with terms & conditions of mutual respect. If the criteria does not match, we shall act accordingly. We Hindus shall not live in compromised state where “inclusivity” favours a populace which harbours aversion, envy and unkindness towards us.

Hindutva has been a driving force for the BJP & Sangh. It shaped the ideology of the governing bodies which will certainly have both internal and geopolitical implications which will decide Bharat’s role and position on Global Stage. Hence, it turns really important for us, as Bharatiyas and especially as Hindus to understand what Hindutva means to us and offers us.

This critically authored account gives us a brief history of Hindutva intermingled with modern day challenges and controversies. To support the contents in this book, author has pivoted on Historical documents, biographies, public speeches, interviews and other sources along with personal annotations and scrutiny. It makes this title to sit closer to reality and authenticity.

At the end, “Soul And Sword” is a meticulously authored account which allows readers, with nuanced and critical perspective, to see learn the strengths and weaknesses of this movement along with past achievements and even failures to learn from. Entwined history of Hindutva has a lot to tell us.

With time, Bharat is facing challenges within its diversity, and political corridors are not so immune to it as well. So I firmly believe that, to see and understand through the intersections of the socio-religious & political challenges of Bharat, one should definitely read the book and contribute his or her part for the betterment and security of the overall populace.


If you wish to support me and willing to buy the book, then do consider buying it from the link below. I will receive a small commission at no extra added cost to you;

https://amzn.to/3ScxiwS

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

One Liner: Informative

The book presents the history of Indian politics and the role of Hinduism from the medieval era to the current day. It talks about different ideologies while focusing on Hinduism and how it continues to shape the country’s politics, as well as socio-economic growth.

It starts with an introduction where the author says the book would look at political Hinduism over the centuries without taking sides or passing judgment. It is more like a compilation of speeches, writing, and extracts. The book follows a timeline, starting before the independence and up to the current date. It ends with the author’s summation of overcoming the obstacles and strengthening Indian politics, preferably with interference from vested foreign ‘activists’.

Sharing a few quotes (in italics) from the book (my copy is an ARC, so the quotes may have been edited in the final version).

Ananda Math by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay first used the word Hindutva in 1882. At the core of Bankim’s thinking in this regard was the concept of the Eternal Code, or Sanatana dharma.

The BJP and the RSS do not define themselves based on US themes, and even though in the West they are termed right-wing, many of their ideas are, in fact, left-wing, especially on economics…

Something the Hindu American groups have been trying to explain for a while. We would be much obliged if the US stopped superimposing its politics on other countries. Each country has its own history, different from what happened in the US. Trying to create non-existing parallels will only lead to distortion.

The author highlights our history books have since long glorified invaders and put down the native leaders. For example, ‘…that Ghazni and his looting of Somnath are well known but his defeat at the hands of Sangamaraja is hardly mentioned is something that political Hinduism seeks to correct…’ according to Savarkar. ‘... the story of the courageous king of Travancore, Marthanda Varma, who prevented the imperialistic expansion of the Dutch East India Company in India is increasingly held up as a forgotten but vital example of India fighting back and winning in the colonial era…’

Countless leaders and intellectuals like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Rabindranath Tagore, Jadunath Sarkar, Jyotirao Phule, Savarkar, and even Nehru used Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s name to inspire the desire for freedom from British rule.

Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar wrote, 'The first Semitic religion was Judaism, an intolerant faith. It was this intolerance that nailed Christ on the Cross. Then came Christianity, the child of the former. That, too, was equally intolerant. Doubtless, Christ was a great saint. But later, what went on in the name of Christ had nothing to do with him. It was no Christianity but only ‘Churchianity.’ The saying ‘There was but one true Christian, and he died on the Cross’ is true to the letter. The Christians committed all sorts of atrocities on the Jews by giving them the label ‘Killers of Christ.’ …Then came Islam—a long story of ‘Sword and Koran’ written in the tears and blood of millions of innocent human beings…. The fear that Hindu Rashtra will imperil the existence of other religious groups arises by applying the above Semitic yardstick to it and imagining that the concept of Hindu Rashtra is analogous to that of the Semitic states notorious for their religious bigotry and persecutions.'

Shyam Prasad Mookerjee said, '…There is an important difference in the approach to the problem of minorities in India and Pakistan. The vast majority of Muslims in India wanted the partition of the country on a communal basis, although, I gladly recognize that there has been a small section of patriotic Muslims who consistently have identified themselves with national interests and suffered for it. The Hindus, on the other hand, were almost to a man definitely opposed to partition. . . . If anyone analyses the course of events in Pakistan since its creation, it will be manifest that there is no honorable place for Hindus within that State.'

I’m yet to see a single global activist raise their voice for the minority Hindus and Christians in Pakistan and Bangladesh, even when young girls get kidnapped, raped, and married to men thrice their age. The courts give verdicts in favor of the kidnappers or send the girls to ‘care homes’ from which they are kidnapped again in less than 24 hours.

Decades ago, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya said, '…Borrowing any ‘ism’ and pasting it onto Indian conditions is not particularly useful…' He also said, 'The concept of ‘Swadeshi’ is ridiculed as old fashioned and reactionary. We proudly use foreign articles and concepts... We shall forget our individuality and become virtual slaves once again.'

As the author continues to talk about the politics and changing governments, scams, assassinations, the Emergency period, etc., there’s one thing that stands out. I can’t help but notice how Congress won elections despite a disastrous performance by somehow having its important leaders assassinated or murdered. This happened more than once. Sympathy waves rose high!

To summarize, Soul and Sword is a solid introduction to the vast topic of political Hinduism. Contrary to Western opinion, we Hindus have always been a part of the political landscape in the country. It’s not a new phenomenon. What’s new is that a greater % of the common public is now refusing to bow down to others and ask for their approval.

Thank you, NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #SoulandSword

[yoursbibliophilic · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Soul and Sword" by Hindol Sengupta delves into the complex interplay between Hinduism & politics throughout history. Sengupta explores how Hinduism, as a religion & cultural force, has shaped political ideologies, movements, and governance in India. “This book is an attempt to tell the story of the intellectual history of political Hinduism, or the history of political Hinduism as an idea, though history is far from the only thing that is interesting about political Hinduism” (Loc:26-28). The author has clearly stated that the main “purpose in this book is to showcase the journey of the idea of political Hinduism, its evolving contexts, and try to understand what its future could be” (Loc:268-269)

One of the book's most compelling aspects is its relevance to contemporary issues facing India, where the fight are between secularism & pseudo-secularism, liberalism & pseudo-liberalism, Author has shown “how these political Hinduism views interacted with the Congress led by Gandhi and Nehru & how they grew & morphed in parallel to the nonviolent resistance movement against the British administration that Gandhi propagated” ( Loc:1228-1231) by juxtaposing the two completely opposite ideologies of Gandhi & Nehru with Ambedkar & Savarkar to show that the connecting thread underling all are political Hinduism.

However, it should be noted that author is not entirely neutral and objective, instead I feel, he is more subjective and persuasive as the bias and perspective of the author’s is very much evident. The scholarship also uses selective, anecdotal evidence and generalize them, so that it can be claimed to support his thoughts. Therefore, this book may not be completely balanced in its view of political Hinduism and may have omit or downplay some of its criticisms and drawbacks.

The book concludes with the assertion that a Hindu nation is inclusive rather than exclusive, echoing sentiments from figures like Golwalkar, Bhagwat, and Modi.

This book is divided into six chapters and spans roughly 200 years of history.

Age of fire Explores the roots of political Hinduism also called Hindutva. Unlike popular belief of Chandranath Basu framing the word, author traces it to Chatterjee's Ananda Math. He shows through the controversy of vandematatam that current BJP's stand was no different form Nehru/Gandhi congress who both defend national song vehemently when criticized by Muslims on religious line.

Victory seekers The story of what is not thought in school history book forming the critical part of Hindutva history is described in this chapter. Tracing the medieval history where the kings like Nagabhatta, Bhoja, Bappa Rawal who held the forts against Arab to Vijaynagar king who engraved the title "Hinduraya Suratrana" and Shivaji taking the title "Haindava Dharmodhhaarak", readers undoubtedly get the question, if this is not political Hinduism then what? To left histories statement that "all medieval kings were guarding territory and not for Hinduism".

Freedom, with Hindu Characteristics “we will see how these political Hinduism views interacted with the Congress led by Gandhi and Nehru and how they grew and morphed in parallel to the nonviolent resistance movement against the British administration that Gandhi propagated” ( Loc:1228-1231)

Third way covers the evolution of Hindutva post-independence through Mukherjee, Upadhyaya especially Jan sang era. Author shows every act of Modi government can be traced to them viz, A370, CAA, terror and talk can't go hand-in-hand to Mukherjee, toilet, drinking water, LPG to Upadhyaya 's ‘antodaya’ concept of 'Thinking of last person'.

House of God, traces the political history from mandal-kamandal issues to India shining through near bankruptcy of country in 90s.

Mouse Charmer, “seeks to go beyond such enduring binaries of opinion and to understand Modi and his work from the perspective of political Hinduism ideology and its evolution, development, and future.” (Loc:3878-3880) instead it focuses on the story of political Hinduism further than any of the stalwarts of the movement could have imagined when it all began.

Through meticulous research and insightful analysis, "Soul and Sword" paints a comprehensive portrait of the entwined histories of Hinduism and politics, inviting readers to contemplate their enduring influence on India's past, present, and future. This is a must-read book for anyone who are interested in understanding the intersection of religion and politics in India.

[Akash Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, Hindol Sengupta is the most under-rated author of our times. His books are great sources of knowledge for me. After reading the first chapter of his book “The Sacred Sword” (based on the life of Guru Govind Singh), I wept like a child. The first chapter was so traumatic that I could not continue reading that book. His book on Sardar Patel gave the feelings of hardcore nationalism in my mind. But it is very sad that his books don’t get much attention that these deserve.
Now let discuss about this book which is about the political Hindu dharma. In many of my previous book reviews, I have stated that Dharma is not religion but what beholds the Indian culture, civilization and righteousness. In this book, the four types of Dharma are discussed, which are Rashtra Dharma (duty for the nation or national responsibility), Samaj Dharma (duty to society), Kula Dharma (duty to ancestors) and Vyakti Dharma (personal faith). Religion is a part of the last i.e., the Vyakti Dharma.
At first, author traces the origin of Hindutva. Nowadays, regional separatists of Bengal say that Bengali culture is an antithesis of Hindutva. But the real fact is that, the origin of Hindutva has it’s deep roots in Bengal and its cultural life. We have lost the 1857 war against the British colonizers. But that defeat gave us a time for self-realization and national-consciousness to us. That led to the great Bengali renaissance. The term Hindutva was a product of this renaissance. The word was first used in Bankim Chandra’s Anandamath novel. Then many eminent Bengalis like Chandranath Basu popularized that term. When the Congress started appeasing radical Islamists, political Hinduism got its dynamic leader- Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Many Hindutva leaders then rose like Shyama Prasad Mookerjee and N.C. Chatterjee.
Every ideology needs many heroes. Political Hinduism idolized the brave Hindu kings or warriors who fought (many times successfully) against cruel invaders like the Cholas and the two brothers Harihara and Bukka who established the Hindu empire of Vijayanagar. Then comes the most important name, the king who lives in everyone’s hearts till today and my ideal hero- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who needs no introduction. But, when the discussions of Raje come, there comes a staunch rebuttal from today’s Bengali regional separatists, the people who label him as an enemy of the Bengali race. But the same people worship Swami Vivekananda. Author explained an incident when Vivekananda was enraged by listening such claims against Shivaji Raje by a person known by him. Swamiji said that all of these false knowledge came from the fake historical accounts written by colonizers, who had no respect for us and our culture. He also praised Shivaji Raje. I think this topic is a very important part of this book. Not only Swamiji, but many eminent Bengalis like Sri Aurobindo and Bipin Chandra Pal ideolised Shivaji Raje. Tagore composed an entire poem in the praise of Shivaji Raje. These facts explain that how much the claims of todays Bengali separatists are baseless in nature.
If you want to know about Deendayal Upadhyay’s concept of “integral humanism” or Guru Golwalkar’s national perspective, this book will be a handy tool for you. If you want to know about the journey of Hindutva politics, then this book is a must read for you.
I disagree with the author in two points. First of these is the support for LGBTQ activists and the second thing is that author blamed the supporters of Hindutva for organizing boycott Bollywood movies trend. This trend was started by the common public after the mysterious death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, not by any single ideological people. But later many leaders of Hindutva politics interfered in this topic.
In the conclusion, the author shared a message for the future of Hindutva, which is explained by a quote of Swami Vivekananda, which is very important according to me. I am suggesting you to read this book by yourself to find out this message.

[Anushka Pathak · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hindus have no independent state to support their cause, not even to cheer them with sympathy for their grievances. They are circumscribed within the four walls of Hindustan and have no outside assistance to influence the attitude of their rulers.

— John Morley (of Morley-Minto reforms), the then Secretary of State

Hinduism, often seen as enigmatic, is distinct from Hindu dharma. The term “Hindu-ism,” with its negative associations from ideologies like Communism and Nazism, was imposed through the colonial gaze. This distorted Hindu dharma, stripping it of its rich political tradition and reducing it to a mere way of life focused on rituals. The loss of rajadharma, or political power, likely began with the decline of princely states or the 1878 Arms Act, disempowering Hindus. When Hinduism began to reassert itself, this revival was labeled “Political Hinduism,” marking the movement to reclaim lost sovereignty and power.

This is the subject of Hindol Sengupta’s book Soul and Sword: The History Of Political Hinduism, which examines political Hinduism as an ideological construct. Sengupta takes a neutral stance, focusing on the concept of narrative identity, which he defines as the stories political Hinduism tells to itself and the world. This identity is shaped by the movement’s historical references and future aspirations.

The book suggests that Hindus can learn much from their history, as seen in the early nationalist writings of figures like Upendra Nath Mukherjee, who in 1906 warned that the combination of religious conversion and societal apathy was stifling the Hindu race. Mukherjee, like other nationalists, urged Hindus to take pride in their past and envision a strong future.

Soul and Sword traces the historical roots of political Hinduism, from the Chola dynasty to Vijayanagara, to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and eventually to contemporary figures like Narendra Modi. Sengupta emphasizes the importance of recognizing political Hinduism’s continuity with history, rather than reducing it to the post-colonial narrative of supremacist movements. The book argues that Hindu dharma’s political aspects have always existed, and political Hinduism is not a recent or sectarian development but rather an effort to restore what was lost.

The book also challenges the claim that political Hinduism is supremacist by referring to the works of thinkers like Golwalkar and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, who rooted their political philosophy in Hindu dharma’s spiritual principles, which are inclusive, not exclusionary.

A crucial passage in the book quotes John Morley, a British Secretary of State, who highlighted that while Muslims had external support from the Ottoman Empire, Hindus were isolated and lacked such backing. This, Sengupta suggests, underscores the need for Hindus to reclaim state power.

However, Sengupta also warns that political Hinduism must stay true to its dharmic roots, avoiding the risk of becoming a hollow social justice ideology. The book points out that political movements, in their quest for unity, often erode cultural differences, and political Hinduism should resist this temptation to preserve the diversity within Hindu dharma.

Finally, the book touches on the sacredness of land in the Hindu worldview, particularly during the Vijayanagara Empire, where the entire kingdom was considered divine. Sengupta questions whether modern political Hinduism’s focus on temple corridors and statues represents a true revival of this sacred tradition or merely its commercialization.

In conclusion, the book presents a comprehensive exploration of political Hinduism’s narrative identity. For those interested in the history, politics, and ideology behind this resurgence, the book offers valuable insights, while also encouraging readers to reflect on the broader role of dharma beyond politics.

[Krishna Bainsla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid well written book, I personally as a fairly knowledgeable Hindutvadi did not before I read it thought it would teach me a lot about Hindutwaadi history but I was delightfully proven wrong by this work. Very deep archival research and absolutely shatters the myths and allegations around and thrown at Hindutva. I highly recommend this to every Hindutvadi I know.

[Usha Kulkarni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning India's history during my school days felt greatly insufficient as I came across articles of that subject in my adult life (which could have been taught in school). This book has bridged that gap to a large extent, I greatly benefitted from reading this. Very well written.

[Somanshu · Rating 1 out of 5]

A poorly written book about a well known fact about Hinduism i.e Hinduism is a way of life and not just a religion. We all agree with this idea I think but to the examples given and the overall quality of writing is poor.

[Shivam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good summary.