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Savarkar #2
Savarkar: A Contested Legacy, 1924-1966
Was Savarkar really a co-conspirator in the Gandhi murder?
Was there a pogrom against a particular community after Gandhi's assassination?
Decades after his death, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar continues to uniquely influence India's political scenario. An optimistic advocate of Hindu-Muslim unity in his treatise on the 1857 War of Independence, what was it that transformed him into a proponent of 'Hindutva'? A former president of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha, Savarkar was a severe critic of the Congress's appeasement politics. After Gandhi's murder, Savarkar was charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination. While he was acquitted by the court, Savarkar is still alleged to have played a role in Gandhi's assassination, a topic that is often discussed and debated.
In this concluding volume of the Savarkar series, exploring a vast range of original archival documents from across India and outside it, in English and several Indian languages, historian Vikram Sampath brings to light the life and works of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, one of the most contentious political thinkers and leaders of the twentieth century.
Was there a pogrom against a particular community after Gandhi's assassination?
Decades after his death, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar continues to uniquely influence India's political scenario. An optimistic advocate of Hindu-Muslim unity in his treatise on the 1857 War of Independence, what was it that transformed him into a proponent of 'Hindutva'? A former president of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha, Savarkar was a severe critic of the Congress's appeasement politics. After Gandhi's murder, Savarkar was charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination. While he was acquitted by the court, Savarkar is still alleged to have played a role in Gandhi's assassination, a topic that is often discussed and debated.
In this concluding volume of the Savarkar series, exploring a vast range of original archival documents from across India and outside it, in English and several Indian languages, historian Vikram Sampath brings to light the life and works of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, one of the most contentious political thinkers and leaders of the twentieth century.
600 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 28, 2021
143 people are currently reading
1590 people want to read
About the author
Vikram Sampath
17 books365 followersBorn and raised in Bangalore, Vikram Sampath completed his schooling in Bangalore at the Sri Aurobindo Memorial School and Bishop Cotton Boys' School. He thereafter obtained a Bachelors in Engineering in Electronics and a Masters in Mathematics from one of India's most reputed schools, BITS-Pilani. He then went on to obtain an MBA in Finance from S P Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. Vikram has worked in many leading multinational firms like GE Money and Citibank and currently is a Team Leader with a information technology company in Bangalore.
His first book, Splendours of Royal Mysore: The Untold Story of the Wodeyars has been widely acclaimed across India, and has been termed as one of the most definitive accounts on the Mysore royal family in recent times. His second book "My Name is Gauhar Jaan!" - The Life and Times of a Musician is the biography of Gauhar Jaan, India's first classical musician to record on the gramophone. The book has been hailed by several luminaries in India and abroad, and has also won the prestigious ARSC (Association of Recorded Sound Collections) International Award for Excellence in Historical Research - the first Indian book to have ever won this honour. Vikram's third book Voice of the Veena: S Balachander - A Biography narrates the story of eminent Veena maestro late Padmabhushan Dr. S Balachander.
Vikram has been a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg) in Berlin, Germany (for 2010-11) where he studied the early gramophone recordings of Indian music. He has also established the Archive of Indian Music (AIM) as a private Trust that seeks to digitize and preserve old gramophone recordings of India.
Vikram publishes regularly in leading Indian dailies and magazines on a wide array of topics. In addition, Vikram is also a serious student of Carnatic Classical vocal music and has been training under various eminent practitioners of the art form. Subjects related to history, music, art and culture are close to his heart.
His first book, Splendours of Royal Mysore: The Untold Story of the Wodeyars has been widely acclaimed across India, and has been termed as one of the most definitive accounts on the Mysore royal family in recent times. His second book "My Name is Gauhar Jaan!" - The Life and Times of a Musician is the biography of Gauhar Jaan, India's first classical musician to record on the gramophone. The book has been hailed by several luminaries in India and abroad, and has also won the prestigious ARSC (Association of Recorded Sound Collections) International Award for Excellence in Historical Research - the first Indian book to have ever won this honour. Vikram's third book Voice of the Veena: S Balachander - A Biography narrates the story of eminent Veena maestro late Padmabhushan Dr. S Balachander.
Vikram has been a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg) in Berlin, Germany (for 2010-11) where he studied the early gramophone recordings of Indian music. He has also established the Archive of Indian Music (AIM) as a private Trust that seeks to digitize and preserve old gramophone recordings of India.
Vikram publishes regularly in leading Indian dailies and magazines on a wide array of topics. In addition, Vikram is also a serious student of Carnatic Classical vocal music and has been training under various eminent practitioners of the art form. Subjects related to history, music, art and culture are close to his heart.
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September 26, 2023
I read the first book Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past, 1883–1924 by Vikram Sampath last year (my review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). This second book continues Savarkar’s life story from the time of his release from prison in Andaman (to a restricted life in Ratnagiri) till his death at the age of 83 in 1966. This is an outstanding set of books to understand the man he was – intelligent, articulate, impassioned, impatient and at times reckless. But even this is being simplistic – he was a very complex person, leaving behind a rich legacy which should be remembered and studied more. In recent times, his legacy continues to be tossed around to score points, among a carefully segregated vote bank.
In my review of the first book, I wrote:
“I was aware that the prime objections to Savarkar have been that he was weak in petitioning for his release from prison and that he spread hatred.”
The first book answered the first question to my satisfaction – he was no weakling or coward, quite the opposite. Bravery can take many shades. While dying for one’s country is the ultimate act of bravery as indeed many such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh did, Savarkar thought he could contribute better by getting out the harsh prison environment, petitioning the government for his release. And he did that – living a life of service after his release, cleverly straying to the borders of acceptable conduct under English occupation. His B.A. degree was cancelled and the property of the family was confiscated. The family battled an acute financial crisis, and at the same time never losing sight of the need to contribute to the needs of the country.
Since he was forbidden to participate in political activities for a period of 5 years, which was also extended, he concentrated on social issues to start with. He proclaimed that all Hindus had the same rights and discrimination based on caste was criminal. Savarkar went across the state advocating for everyone to sit together in school, temples, read Hindu sacred texts and wear the sacred thread. He started a communal dining program inviting all sects to sit together, and also was instrumental in building a new temple for all. He pointed out that Lord Krishna in the Gita while mentioning varnas never said they should be inherited nor lead to discrimination. There is an interesting intellectual difference in the viewpoints of Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar & Savarkar here. Gandhiji felt that it is important to tackle discrimination as being inhuman and there is nothing wrong in having varnas & castes. Ambedkar felt the 4 varnas had over time led to over 4,000 castes and it is as important to dismantle this. Savarkar’s viewpoint was somewhat closer to Ambedkar’s, sticking to explaining to people that the 4 varnas are a professional bifurcation, not inherited by birth, and they not make too much of their castes. I feel all are well-meaning and valid perspectives. Savarkar was also worried that some reformers were instigating the lower castes to take to violence which he felt would make matters worse. Savarkar also frequently spoke about what he perceived as rampant hypocrisy encouraged by the Congress between Hindus & Muslims. There are several examples of this in the book. Gandhiji and Savarkar met in Ratnagiri at his house and were gracious with each other, but their differences continued to grow. He felt Gandhiji’s philosophy of absolute non-violence was an absurd & dangerous philosophy. To one visiting British dignitary who expressed admiration for it, he quipped “Why don’t you go and fast before Adolf Hitler, instead of fighting against Germany?” One of the passionate matters for him was building national strength and he advocated more people to join the armed forces.
His biggest test was being accused in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He was let off for lack of evidence but speculations continued since the key conspirators Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte were known to him, and one approver testified against him. Savarkar in his testimony logically countered the charges, pointing out the professional courtesy he had always had with those he disagreed with, be it Gandhiji or even Jinnah. The appendix has stories of the Anti-Brahmin riots which followed Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination which makes for very painful reading. When he died, Dr S Radhakrishnan & Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid their respects among many others. Indira Gandhi was also gracious to donate to his foundation, release a stamp and a documentary on him in his birth centenary year.
So, in summary –
Was Savarkar a coward: No, Definitely not.
Is the Hindutva he outlined a Hate Philosophy?: No. He described his views carefully. He considered Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and others as communities who are part of a distinct cultural context which is centuries old. All communities should have truly equal rights.
Was Savarkar the Hindu equivalent of Jinnah?: No. He was himself conscious of this and provides a clear distinction. Jinnah harped on Muslims being essentially a separate nation. Savarkar argued that while it has got to be that, Hindus and Muslims should regard themselves as communities and not nations. He was committed to finding a way for a harmonious united Bharat, while Jinnah was not. It was perfectly fair for communities to seek representation in governance & safeguards, but not secede.
Did he support the Two Nation Theory & Partition: No, he vehemently opposed it (though it is widely mentioned including in the Wikipedia article that he supported it).
Did he direct hate towards Muslims?: He does not come across as harbouring ill-will for individual people, but ended up talking at Muslims, rather than with them. He chided them on looking outside India for inspiration, attempting to convert others and voting for aggressive leaders who sought to distance them from their own Hindu countrymen. By all accounts while he was articulate & intelligent, he was impatient and a poor negotiator. I also found a couple of his speeches in the book to be aggressive & reckless.
Did he support violence? He felt violence has a role in life and is a decision to be made based on the circumstance. He pointed to the clear explanation provided in Hinduism, especially the Gita, that violence is to be the last resort to prevent the decline of Dharma (righteousness). Absolute non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi, he rejected.
Savarkar’s family is one who sacrificed a lot for the country. It is not fair to bury his memory. He had his faults but his was an inspiring life, and studying his life & mistakes is important. The fault-lines among communities which he spoke about (cow slaughter, festivities celebrations of communities, conversions) get talked about till today indicating sadly that we have not really addressed them well.
Mahatma Gandhi’s life & values have always inspired me, and will continue to. Savarkar had opposing views to his in many cases, but he also had the maturity to accord him respect. Similarly, we as a people, need to know that we can hold opposing views in our midst, as indeed our leaders & heroes of the past did, if we can live with some underlying core values.
An excellent set of books, if you want to know and learn from the life of Veer Savarkar. They are big books but well worth the time invested. I cannot recommend them enough!
In my review of the first book, I wrote:
“I was aware that the prime objections to Savarkar have been that he was weak in petitioning for his release from prison and that he spread hatred.”
The first book answered the first question to my satisfaction – he was no weakling or coward, quite the opposite. Bravery can take many shades. While dying for one’s country is the ultimate act of bravery as indeed many such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh did, Savarkar thought he could contribute better by getting out the harsh prison environment, petitioning the government for his release. And he did that – living a life of service after his release, cleverly straying to the borders of acceptable conduct under English occupation. His B.A. degree was cancelled and the property of the family was confiscated. The family battled an acute financial crisis, and at the same time never losing sight of the need to contribute to the needs of the country.
Since he was forbidden to participate in political activities for a period of 5 years, which was also extended, he concentrated on social issues to start with. He proclaimed that all Hindus had the same rights and discrimination based on caste was criminal. Savarkar went across the state advocating for everyone to sit together in school, temples, read Hindu sacred texts and wear the sacred thread. He started a communal dining program inviting all sects to sit together, and also was instrumental in building a new temple for all. He pointed out that Lord Krishna in the Gita while mentioning varnas never said they should be inherited nor lead to discrimination. There is an interesting intellectual difference in the viewpoints of Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar & Savarkar here. Gandhiji felt that it is important to tackle discrimination as being inhuman and there is nothing wrong in having varnas & castes. Ambedkar felt the 4 varnas had over time led to over 4,000 castes and it is as important to dismantle this. Savarkar’s viewpoint was somewhat closer to Ambedkar’s, sticking to explaining to people that the 4 varnas are a professional bifurcation, not inherited by birth, and they not make too much of their castes. I feel all are well-meaning and valid perspectives. Savarkar was also worried that some reformers were instigating the lower castes to take to violence which he felt would make matters worse. Savarkar also frequently spoke about what he perceived as rampant hypocrisy encouraged by the Congress between Hindus & Muslims. There are several examples of this in the book. Gandhiji and Savarkar met in Ratnagiri at his house and were gracious with each other, but their differences continued to grow. He felt Gandhiji’s philosophy of absolute non-violence was an absurd & dangerous philosophy. To one visiting British dignitary who expressed admiration for it, he quipped “Why don’t you go and fast before Adolf Hitler, instead of fighting against Germany?” One of the passionate matters for him was building national strength and he advocated more people to join the armed forces.
His biggest test was being accused in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He was let off for lack of evidence but speculations continued since the key conspirators Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte were known to him, and one approver testified against him. Savarkar in his testimony logically countered the charges, pointing out the professional courtesy he had always had with those he disagreed with, be it Gandhiji or even Jinnah. The appendix has stories of the Anti-Brahmin riots which followed Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination which makes for very painful reading. When he died, Dr S Radhakrishnan & Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid their respects among many others. Indira Gandhi was also gracious to donate to his foundation, release a stamp and a documentary on him in his birth centenary year.
So, in summary –
Was Savarkar a coward: No, Definitely not.
Is the Hindutva he outlined a Hate Philosophy?: No. He described his views carefully. He considered Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and others as communities who are part of a distinct cultural context which is centuries old. All communities should have truly equal rights.
Was Savarkar the Hindu equivalent of Jinnah?: No. He was himself conscious of this and provides a clear distinction. Jinnah harped on Muslims being essentially a separate nation. Savarkar argued that while it has got to be that, Hindus and Muslims should regard themselves as communities and not nations. He was committed to finding a way for a harmonious united Bharat, while Jinnah was not. It was perfectly fair for communities to seek representation in governance & safeguards, but not secede.
Did he support the Two Nation Theory & Partition: No, he vehemently opposed it (though it is widely mentioned including in the Wikipedia article that he supported it).
Did he direct hate towards Muslims?: He does not come across as harbouring ill-will for individual people, but ended up talking at Muslims, rather than with them. He chided them on looking outside India for inspiration, attempting to convert others and voting for aggressive leaders who sought to distance them from their own Hindu countrymen. By all accounts while he was articulate & intelligent, he was impatient and a poor negotiator. I also found a couple of his speeches in the book to be aggressive & reckless.
Did he support violence? He felt violence has a role in life and is a decision to be made based on the circumstance. He pointed to the clear explanation provided in Hinduism, especially the Gita, that violence is to be the last resort to prevent the decline of Dharma (righteousness). Absolute non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi, he rejected.
Savarkar’s family is one who sacrificed a lot for the country. It is not fair to bury his memory. He had his faults but his was an inspiring life, and studying his life & mistakes is important. The fault-lines among communities which he spoke about (cow slaughter, festivities celebrations of communities, conversions) get talked about till today indicating sadly that we have not really addressed them well.
Mahatma Gandhi’s life & values have always inspired me, and will continue to. Savarkar had opposing views to his in many cases, but he also had the maturity to accord him respect. Similarly, we as a people, need to know that we can hold opposing views in our midst, as indeed our leaders & heroes of the past did, if we can live with some underlying core values.
An excellent set of books, if you want to know and learn from the life of Veer Savarkar. They are big books but well worth the time invested. I cannot recommend them enough!
August 19, 2021
This is the second part of the two-volume biography of Veer Savarkar by Vikram Sampath. The first one, Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past 1883-1924 was published in 2019 and since then, I was most looking forward to reading the second part once it was published. This book picks up exactly from where the first book ended and its every bit is as brilliant as the first one. The author yet again does a fine job in bringing the persona of Savarkar to life and he does it superbly. Very often, biographies are either written as hagiographies or as criticism reflecting the author's inherent bias. However, Vikram Sampath has done an outstanding job in writing this biography with a tone that is mostly objective throughout the book.
Just like the first book, this one is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The author has done a phenomenal research, going through primary and secondary sources in plenty and like the first book, he has researched content in Kannada, Marathi, and other Indian languages also apart from English. Although Savarkar was released after serving 14 years of his double life sentences in the notorious Kaala Paani prison in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, he wasn't a free man for another 13 years as he had to be confined to the Ratnagiri district and desist from involving in any kind of political activity which were the terms of his release. So, effectively for 27 years of his life, Savarkar was a captive man.
Savarkar had already started working for the cause of Hindutva while he was incarcerated in the Andamans and he truly became the champion for the Hindus' cause after his release from captivity. As the President of the Hindu Mahasabha, he worked tirelessly towards liberating India from colonial rule. He faced many hardships, including spending the 13 years of his life in a very impoverished state at Ratnagiri. It is worth observing that although Savarkar was ideologically opposed to the Congress and its leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, he always maintained the tone of respect with respect to them and did not have any personal enmity with any of his ideological opponents. In that sense, Savarkar was a true liberal. He was a rationalist too who attacked the superstitions and dogmas of religion. Forever a practical man, he was a realist and many of his observations and statements that he made in his life turned out to be prophetic in nature later on.
One of the most poignant aspects of the book is how the author has covered the tragic assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He has presented all facts from different perspectives with regards to this incident. A unique point here is that the author has touched upon a point that has been very much ignored in Indian history - the anti-Brahmin riots that took place in different parts of India, and most severely in Maharashtra where members of the miniscule Brahmin community were systematically targeted in a spree of murder, rape, assault, and arson in the aftermath of the assassination of Gandhi just because the perpetrator, Nathuram Godse happened to be a Brahmin. Savarkar was named an accused in the case but was fully exonerated and released with honour after it was found that the prosecution had not evidence against him and their entire case was based on filmsy grounds. It is quite disturbing to see how opportunistic the government of even that time was to use a tragic incident to settle scores with a political opponent.
It is sad that rather than appreciate and remember Savarkar for his contributions towards the Indian struggle for independence, political parties today are often indulged in a fight over his name. This, despite the fact that he was hailed as a great man by even those were ideologically opposed to him during his lifetime. Either way, it is my humble opinion that this two-volume biography should be read by every Indian irrespective of his/her political ideology. Savarkar was an enigmatic personality who has had an impact on lives on many Indian, and his legacy will be everlasting, however contested it might be.
Just like the first book, this one is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The author has done a phenomenal research, going through primary and secondary sources in plenty and like the first book, he has researched content in Kannada, Marathi, and other Indian languages also apart from English. Although Savarkar was released after serving 14 years of his double life sentences in the notorious Kaala Paani prison in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, he wasn't a free man for another 13 years as he had to be confined to the Ratnagiri district and desist from involving in any kind of political activity which were the terms of his release. So, effectively for 27 years of his life, Savarkar was a captive man.
Savarkar had already started working for the cause of Hindutva while he was incarcerated in the Andamans and he truly became the champion for the Hindus' cause after his release from captivity. As the President of the Hindu Mahasabha, he worked tirelessly towards liberating India from colonial rule. He faced many hardships, including spending the 13 years of his life in a very impoverished state at Ratnagiri. It is worth observing that although Savarkar was ideologically opposed to the Congress and its leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, he always maintained the tone of respect with respect to them and did not have any personal enmity with any of his ideological opponents. In that sense, Savarkar was a true liberal. He was a rationalist too who attacked the superstitions and dogmas of religion. Forever a practical man, he was a realist and many of his observations and statements that he made in his life turned out to be prophetic in nature later on.
One of the most poignant aspects of the book is how the author has covered the tragic assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He has presented all facts from different perspectives with regards to this incident. A unique point here is that the author has touched upon a point that has been very much ignored in Indian history - the anti-Brahmin riots that took place in different parts of India, and most severely in Maharashtra where members of the miniscule Brahmin community were systematically targeted in a spree of murder, rape, assault, and arson in the aftermath of the assassination of Gandhi just because the perpetrator, Nathuram Godse happened to be a Brahmin. Savarkar was named an accused in the case but was fully exonerated and released with honour after it was found that the prosecution had not evidence against him and their entire case was based on filmsy grounds. It is quite disturbing to see how opportunistic the government of even that time was to use a tragic incident to settle scores with a political opponent.
It is sad that rather than appreciate and remember Savarkar for his contributions towards the Indian struggle for independence, political parties today are often indulged in a fight over his name. This, despite the fact that he was hailed as a great man by even those were ideologically opposed to him during his lifetime. Either way, it is my humble opinion that this two-volume biography should be read by every Indian irrespective of his/her political ideology. Savarkar was an enigmatic personality who has had an impact on lives on many Indian, and his legacy will be everlasting, however contested it might be.
July 31, 2021
Well-researched and insightful read.
A very vital book for our times to understand the legend and his perspective. A detailed account of his life, action and views in the English language was missing and this book bridges in that gap. In recent times, there is a trend to make certain baseless allegations such a legendary figure -- in this context, it becomes vital that today's generation reads about this National Hero from his own accounts and the primary sources of those times. Savarkar's immense sacrifices, his constant crusade of rights of Hindus, his extensive work in Ratnagiri for eliminating untouchability, his constant harassment by British authorities and later persecution by political rivals in a Free India are all something makes this book a compelling read. The author has weaved a logical narrative, through painstaking research, based on contemporary primary sources to illuminate the reader on the multi-layered complex issues of the time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested not only in Savarkar but also in learning about freedom movements than ran parallel to, but differed in principle from, the Gandhian movement of the time.
A very vital book for our times to understand the legend and his perspective. A detailed account of his life, action and views in the English language was missing and this book bridges in that gap. In recent times, there is a trend to make certain baseless allegations such a legendary figure -- in this context, it becomes vital that today's generation reads about this National Hero from his own accounts and the primary sources of those times. Savarkar's immense sacrifices, his constant crusade of rights of Hindus, his extensive work in Ratnagiri for eliminating untouchability, his constant harassment by British authorities and later persecution by political rivals in a Free India are all something makes this book a compelling read. The author has weaved a logical narrative, through painstaking research, based on contemporary primary sources to illuminate the reader on the multi-layered complex issues of the time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested not only in Savarkar but also in learning about freedom movements than ran parallel to, but differed in principle from, the Gandhian movement of the time.
December 20, 2021
This book is continuation of previous volume 'echoes from forgotten past'. Writing as usual is brilliant and able to establish The Veer Savarkar against all sort of aspersion thrown by haters. Readers will understand why Savarkar is relevant till today. Forgetting his caution is severely affecting today's India from geopolitical, social and economical way.
This book covers period of life of Shri Savarkar after releasing from prion till death. It provides glimpses of partition of India and political turmoil between Savarkar, Ambedkar, Jinnah and Gandhi. He played crucial role in inspiring Subhash Bose to attack British ruled India from outside.
Detailed discussion of Gandhi murder is exceptional. The book is fruit of churning of history and lot of painstaking research by author.
Those who wants to seek truth about The Veer Savarkar, must read these two volumes.
This book covers period of life of Shri Savarkar after releasing from prion till death. It provides glimpses of partition of India and political turmoil between Savarkar, Ambedkar, Jinnah and Gandhi. He played crucial role in inspiring Subhash Bose to attack British ruled India from outside.
Detailed discussion of Gandhi murder is exceptional. The book is fruit of churning of history and lot of painstaking research by author.
Those who wants to seek truth about The Veer Savarkar, must read these two volumes.
June 18, 2025
BOOK REVIEW: Savarkar: A contested legacy (1924-1966)
Author:
Publishers:
Points:9/10
“Swatantraveera tujhi aarti, Shashi Surya ubalti Bhaarati, Sashi Surya ubalti Bhaarati"
So this was my second dose for the vaccine of LW propaganda virus. This book covers the life and works of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar after his release from Ratnagiri jail. He was restricted for taking part in main stream politics for some years, so he choosed to do social reforms like annihilation of the caste system, making Hindu sangathans and spreading education. The village named Ratnagiri has witnessed many social reforms that made Savarkar and his followers enemies of conservative people. In case of eradicating caste system, he got support and help from his companion Babasaheb Ambedkar. But, Mahatma Gandhi's direct supported caste system and even romanticised it. Due to this, a frustrated Ambedkar leaved Hindu fold, which madedistances between Savarkar and Ambedkar.
Savarkar used to criticize Gandhi for his flip-flops in the freedom struggle and his one-sided secularism, that led Gandhi to meet him in Ratnagiri. After leaving Ratnagiri, Savarkar was offered to join Congress by Netaji and many other Congress leaders but he refused because of the one sided secularism of Congress. Instead of Congress, he joined Swarajya dal, the Tilakite extremist faction of the Congress which came out of the Congress after his death under the leadership of N.C. Kelkar. For that event, Swarajya dal revived in new energy.
Savarkar’s idea of militarisation of youth to make the British Indian army weak internally made Rashbehari Bose to contact him. The book describes how Babarao, the elder brother of Savarkar met many revolutionaries like Rajguru and Chandrasekhar Azad and how the Savarkar household gave shelter to many revolutionaries like Durga Bhabhi.
The details of the events like Bhagnagar struggle and Bhagalpur struggle are heart trembling. Savarkar’s efforts to prevent the partition is described in the book. The aftermath of Gandhi murder case and Savarkar’s trial are described in details. The last chapter contains the details of Kapoor commission. And the book ends with Savarkar’s account of how his self sacrifice was different from suicide.
“Swatantra Lakshmi Ki Jay"
Author:
Publishers:
Points:9/10
“Swatantraveera tujhi aarti, Shashi Surya ubalti Bhaarati, Sashi Surya ubalti Bhaarati"
So this was my second dose for the vaccine of LW propaganda virus. This book covers the life and works of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar after his release from Ratnagiri jail. He was restricted for taking part in main stream politics for some years, so he choosed to do social reforms like annihilation of the caste system, making Hindu sangathans and spreading education. The village named Ratnagiri has witnessed many social reforms that made Savarkar and his followers enemies of conservative people. In case of eradicating caste system, he got support and help from his companion Babasaheb Ambedkar. But, Mahatma Gandhi's direct supported caste system and even romanticised it. Due to this, a frustrated Ambedkar leaved Hindu fold, which madedistances between Savarkar and Ambedkar.
Savarkar used to criticize Gandhi for his flip-flops in the freedom struggle and his one-sided secularism, that led Gandhi to meet him in Ratnagiri. After leaving Ratnagiri, Savarkar was offered to join Congress by Netaji and many other Congress leaders but he refused because of the one sided secularism of Congress. Instead of Congress, he joined Swarajya dal, the Tilakite extremist faction of the Congress which came out of the Congress after his death under the leadership of N.C. Kelkar. For that event, Swarajya dal revived in new energy.
Savarkar’s idea of militarisation of youth to make the British Indian army weak internally made Rashbehari Bose to contact him. The book describes how Babarao, the elder brother of Savarkar met many revolutionaries like Rajguru and Chandrasekhar Azad and how the Savarkar household gave shelter to many revolutionaries like Durga Bhabhi.
The details of the events like Bhagnagar struggle and Bhagalpur struggle are heart trembling. Savarkar’s efforts to prevent the partition is described in the book. The aftermath of Gandhi murder case and Savarkar’s trial are described in details. The last chapter contains the details of Kapoor commission. And the book ends with Savarkar’s account of how his self sacrifice was different from suicide.
“Swatantra Lakshmi Ki Jay"
August 31, 2021
Savarkar has always been a controversial figure.
A revolutionary fighting against all sorts of evils; British, caste, forceful conversions, partition, impurities in language, Gandhian irrational pacifism, and a lot more.
Unfortunately, our opinion of him depends not on detailed analysis but on our partisan allegiance. We love him or hate him based on exposure to some media bytes or election rallies or random opinion pieces.
Some of his qoutes are thrown around without sense of context.
I too am/was part of this bandwagon.
Through fault of my own, I haven't read any of Savarkar's books yet. I've admired and defended him just because the party and leaders I like did so. Ever since I saw the first volume of Vikram Sampath's Savarkar I was waiting for the second volume to read them together. These books are less like a biography and more like a research paper. Primary sources being cited for all claims. Passionate analysis of all his strengths as well as flaws.
I was labelled a Savarkarite quite often and it felt like cheating because I had done nothing to earn that tag. I didn't even know Savarkar's stand on many issues.
Can't thank @vikramsampath enough for these books.
I recommend these books to everyone.
GO, GET A COPY.
A revolutionary fighting against all sorts of evils; British, caste, forceful conversions, partition, impurities in language, Gandhian irrational pacifism, and a lot more.
Unfortunately, our opinion of him depends not on detailed analysis but on our partisan allegiance. We love him or hate him based on exposure to some media bytes or election rallies or random opinion pieces.
Some of his qoutes are thrown around without sense of context.
I too am/was part of this bandwagon.
Through fault of my own, I haven't read any of Savarkar's books yet. I've admired and defended him just because the party and leaders I like did so. Ever since I saw the first volume of Vikram Sampath's Savarkar I was waiting for the second volume to read them together. These books are less like a biography and more like a research paper. Primary sources being cited for all claims. Passionate analysis of all his strengths as well as flaws.
I was labelled a Savarkarite quite often and it felt like cheating because I had done nothing to earn that tag. I didn't even know Savarkar's stand on many issues.
Can't thank @vikramsampath enough for these books.
I recommend these books to everyone.
GO, GET A COPY.
January 25, 2022
Visionary: A man truly ahead of his time
The bigger his struggle is , The higher his wave goes. This is generally accepted theory of how great men are created. This legend right here decided to swim against the tide all his life without expecting anything but more suffering. Savarkar built a political career by making politically incorrect statements. That is why he is a statesman not a politician. The most rational man I have ever read.
Dedicated his entire life for the national and linguistic betterment of this civilization. Yet he remained in the shadows. I have nothing but praise to this revolutionary & distinctly Hindu leader.
Vikram Sampath narration of this data heavy biography is top notch. A well researched voluminous work.
The bigger his struggle is , The higher his wave goes. This is generally accepted theory of how great men are created. This legend right here decided to swim against the tide all his life without expecting anything but more suffering. Savarkar built a political career by making politically incorrect statements. That is why he is a statesman not a politician. The most rational man I have ever read.
Dedicated his entire life for the national and linguistic betterment of this civilization. Yet he remained in the shadows. I have nothing but praise to this revolutionary & distinctly Hindu leader.
Vikram Sampath narration of this data heavy biography is top notch. A well researched voluminous work.
August 21, 2021
This book does a justice to the contested legacy of the Veer Savarkar.
Also, it laid bares the truth about several claimed 'tall' leaders of the Indian Independence and shows their human infirmities and their blunders which dealt a great deal of damage to the Indian Independence movement.
The best part is author not holding himself back in the criticism of Savarkar where it was due, nor shying away from a glowing praise for him when it was needed. This is how leaders should be analysed - not in whole so as to whitewash all of their actions but an independent review of their every major action should be done so as to decipher them and their effects on their society.
A must read for all who wants to understand the truth about Savarkar and on the Indian Independence movement.
Also, it laid bares the truth about several claimed 'tall' leaders of the Indian Independence and shows their human infirmities and their blunders which dealt a great deal of damage to the Indian Independence movement.
The best part is author not holding himself back in the criticism of Savarkar where it was due, nor shying away from a glowing praise for him when it was needed. This is how leaders should be analysed - not in whole so as to whitewash all of their actions but an independent review of their every major action should be done so as to decipher them and their effects on their society.
A must read for all who wants to understand the truth about Savarkar and on the Indian Independence movement.
August 14, 2021
An extremely well researched and comprehensive book. A must-read on the reality of Veer Savarkar and his life and thinking and his great sacrifices for nation. Wonderful!
August 6, 2021
Loved this one, what a man, what a life ! Vikram Sampath brings out all aspects of Savarkar's life. There was a lot of action in the first book, this one emphasizes more on Savarkar's thoughts/philosophies. Until the climatic portions: the assassination of Gandhi and the decision of the government to try Savarkar based on not very strong evidence. That part reads like a court room thriller. Overall a must read; I am glad the author included details about the anti Brahmin riots in 1948; which I did not know a lot about. Brilliant book over all!
August 4, 2021
Amazing book
Amazing book about a great hindu nationalist. Beautiful in its writing and well researched. Easy to read and recommended for all interested in recent Indian history
Amazing book about a great hindu nationalist. Beautiful in its writing and well researched. Easy to read and recommended for all interested in recent Indian history
February 15, 2022
Vikram Sampath has outdone himself again in this 2nd part. A well-researched text from an unbiased historian is a rare piece or entity like this book. But Dr Sampath has not left any stones unturned in this mammoth of a book , about an equally gigantic personality that our country Bharat was immensely lucky to get. Veer Savarkar lived a life which any human hardly would have dared to live, full of hardships at every step of his life, both personal and otherwise. But that is what made his life sacred and the one every human should attain to live. I fully bow my head in respect to both, the greatest revolutionary, poet, historian, playwright, a true human being that modern India has produced (read Veer Savarkar) and the historian (read Dr Vikram Sampath) whose work will be immortal in the upcoming generations. Jai Hind.
October 1, 2021
Savarkar by Vikram Sampath is a towering effort in covering the life of a towering personality of Indian freedom struggle. While the first part dealt with upto his Andaman days, this part focusses on his political career after that.
Savarkar has been perhaps the most misunderstood figure in Indian polity. Unfortunately his thoughts on Akhand Bharat have been forgotten. The only thing which has remained on popular perception is his supposed involvement in Gandhi assassination. Thankfully this book clears that fallacy conclusively. The book throws light on the progressive aspect of Savarkar which have been lost in time. For example did you know that Savarkar was a bigger opponent of caste system and untouchability than even the Dalit champion Dr Ambedkar. What makes this all the more laudable is the fact that he worked towards that inspite of being in the so called "oppressor class".
Like any honest biography this book is not all bells and whistles about Savarkar. It also presents the warts in his personality without any judgement either way.
All in all a masterful biography which must be read by any student of Modern Indian history
Savarkar has been perhaps the most misunderstood figure in Indian polity. Unfortunately his thoughts on Akhand Bharat have been forgotten. The only thing which has remained on popular perception is his supposed involvement in Gandhi assassination. Thankfully this book clears that fallacy conclusively. The book throws light on the progressive aspect of Savarkar which have been lost in time. For example did you know that Savarkar was a bigger opponent of caste system and untouchability than even the Dalit champion Dr Ambedkar. What makes this all the more laudable is the fact that he worked towards that inspite of being in the so called "oppressor class".
Like any honest biography this book is not all bells and whistles about Savarkar. It also presents the warts in his personality without any judgement either way.
All in all a masterful biography which must be read by any student of Modern Indian history
October 27, 2021
In my review of Volume 1 of Sampath's biography of Savarkar I have written-
" The history of modern India needs a more inclusive narration than hitherto. Many fighters for freedom did not hesitate to take recourse to violence and they formed a network spreading right across the nation and also had strong links with the diaspora in Europe and America. Thus, these heroes and heroines formed a movement that was parallel to the Congress led movement. However History taught so far has described their actions as individual acts, more quixotic than meaningful. This distortion needs to be corrected and Sampath's book is a major book in that direction."
This holds true for this Volume too, naturally.
However, I found this volume less engrossing than the previous one. Probably because Savarkar's life itself became comparatively dull. But by the same token, while lower on heroism, this volume is more packed with history as Savarkar now is out of Andamans and us contending with mainstream political and social issues.
A must read for anyone interested in understanding modern India.
" The history of modern India needs a more inclusive narration than hitherto. Many fighters for freedom did not hesitate to take recourse to violence and they formed a network spreading right across the nation and also had strong links with the diaspora in Europe and America. Thus, these heroes and heroines formed a movement that was parallel to the Congress led movement. However History taught so far has described their actions as individual acts, more quixotic than meaningful. This distortion needs to be corrected and Sampath's book is a major book in that direction."
This holds true for this Volume too, naturally.
However, I found this volume less engrossing than the previous one. Probably because Savarkar's life itself became comparatively dull. But by the same token, while lower on heroism, this volume is more packed with history as Savarkar now is out of Andamans and us contending with mainstream political and social issues.
A must read for anyone interested in understanding modern India.
January 16, 2022
This book is the beginning of the end of the false mirage created by the fake historians about our past as well as the present. Reading about Savarkarji gave me goosebombs how can a person and his family and infact the whole community suffer this much and get so much humiliation yet the country looks at them with a view of contempt and disdain. This book series deserves to be read by each and every person a great book indeed.
September 30, 2021
This is seminal and authoritative historical work on the life of a person who has had a huge influence on India as we know it today but is surreptitiously missing from formative history we read in schools and colleges.
A must read for anyone who wishes to understand the modern history and indeed the present political landscape of India.
A must read for anyone who wishes to understand the modern history and indeed the present political landscape of India.
December 23, 2021
Nice Book based on true history.
February 21, 2022
Some Indian leaders were forgotten, while some were demonised by historians. Savarkar was demonised. At one point, historians showed him as an apologist; later, they showed him as involved in Gandhi’s assassination. But Savarkar spoke truth to power. He never wavered in his philosophy. Read this important book to know more about this hero.
February 6, 2022
Absolutely one superb piece of work. Both books are voluminous and have tonnes of information. The author has done a remarkable job of thorough research on Savarkar which is evident from the bibliography. If Savarkar would have read both the books , he would also give a thumbs up
January 6, 2022
How we Indians are misleaded to choose our real heroes ,this book explains very well. Since childhood we have been told who is The Rashtra pita and chacha Nehru ,but no one even told about The Nation builder.. The Veer Savarkar ,The front end Warrior The Veer Savarkar 🙏 what he has done and what all he has suffered for our freedom is priceless..this book is a real tribute to the Great Savarkar ...Thank you Vikram Sampath for opening our eyes .
Jai Hind Jai Bharat 🇮🇳
Jai Hind Jai Bharat 🇮🇳
December 19, 2021
A definitive biography in two parts by Mr. Sampath on much maligned and often misunderstood figure of Indian history. He has done an immense service to the Nation by penning down this meticulously researched book which presents the events just as they occurred. Youth today barely knows anything about this great man of freedom struggle.
November 7, 2021
Must read. Savarkar has been done great injustice by the leftist historians by portraying him as a British Stooge and a murderer. Please read this book to understand this great man deeply. It's a shame that our people have been fed so much lies and distortions just to suit one family and ideology.
December 4, 2021
Extremely well researched and written. Must read for all Indians.
March 13, 2022
The Leftist view of India’s freedom struggle was provided by Bipin Chandra & co. and the Congress (synonymous with the Left today but diff then) view by Guha’s book on Gandhi. There were books on Jinnah, Bose and even the British views but a quality book on the Right-Wing’s view was sorely missing. I have read Keer’s biography of Savarkar earlier but Sampath’s top-class book was needed to fill the vaccum.
—————————————————————
What is the Left-Right divide in India ?
Each political party (even the BJP) is left of centre in economics. And ironically, the Sangh/BJP are largely reformist - unlike the Right in other countries. And more than many of the Leftist parties. The key difference is in appeasement of minorities.
From the time of Gandhi itself, the Congress has been appeasing minorities breeding a sense of false victimhood and creating resentment in both sides. It failed a no. of times - most significantly in preventing partition or Kashmiri/North-East separatism. And this is what Savarkar opposed tooth and nail.
Telling his story would have shown the ppl the failures of the Congress leadership of the 20th century and so his story was buried and his name was made a stigma.
——————————————————-
Savarkar’s key ideas I agreed with :-
A) Caste and rituals must be done away with and Hindus should reform themselves. His views and actions on eradicating untouchability were far more sensible and humane than Gandhi !
B) Islam and Muslims should be treated at par with other religions in terms of laws/rules. There should be no appeasement. Unfortunately, failure after failure has not resulted in discarding this policy. Things may be changing slowly after 2014.
——————————————————
Disagreements:-
A) His political party “Hindu Mahasabha” was based on demanding rights for Hindus. Why not talk of principles ? This is a mirror image of “only Muslims can speak for Muslims” which Jinnah used to parrot and which India accepts even today.
And my corollary automatically says that the majority has the right to implement a liberal and modern civil code. The important thing is for laws not to based on religion.
Strongly feel political parties must NOT represent a fraction of the electorate. No caste/religion/identity based politics ever. No state parties and divisive agendas allowed in national elections.
B) He was for cultural purification. I think that is a regressive idea. Let culture be free.
C) Sometimes he seemed to be opposing the Congress just for the sake of it and came out as petty. Although think that every political leader incl Gandhi had human failings and came out as petty sometimes.
——————————————————
The book was very readable and the writing was as good as Guha (or any other that I have read). The author has a little bias for Savarkar but he has laid out the facts in detail and let the readers make up their minds. Also, sometimes felt the book went a little too much into detail. Else it would have been 5/5.
——————————————————
PS:- “The Kashmir Files” released a couple of days ago. I am yet to watch it but reviews of mainstream media have called it names - for being provocative, exploitative, ham-handed and totally lacking in nuance. Words they didnt use for the one-sided “Haider” which got rave reviews. But India seems to be changing, smashing thru the left-liberal hegemony one book and one movie at a time.
—————————————————————
What is the Left-Right divide in India ?
Each political party (even the BJP) is left of centre in economics. And ironically, the Sangh/BJP are largely reformist - unlike the Right in other countries. And more than many of the Leftist parties. The key difference is in appeasement of minorities.
From the time of Gandhi itself, the Congress has been appeasing minorities breeding a sense of false victimhood and creating resentment in both sides. It failed a no. of times - most significantly in preventing partition or Kashmiri/North-East separatism. And this is what Savarkar opposed tooth and nail.
Telling his story would have shown the ppl the failures of the Congress leadership of the 20th century and so his story was buried and his name was made a stigma.
——————————————————-
Savarkar’s key ideas I agreed with :-
A) Caste and rituals must be done away with and Hindus should reform themselves. His views and actions on eradicating untouchability were far more sensible and humane than Gandhi !
B) Islam and Muslims should be treated at par with other religions in terms of laws/rules. There should be no appeasement. Unfortunately, failure after failure has not resulted in discarding this policy. Things may be changing slowly after 2014.
——————————————————
Disagreements:-
A) His political party “Hindu Mahasabha” was based on demanding rights for Hindus. Why not talk of principles ? This is a mirror image of “only Muslims can speak for Muslims” which Jinnah used to parrot and which India accepts even today.
And my corollary automatically says that the majority has the right to implement a liberal and modern civil code. The important thing is for laws not to based on religion.
Strongly feel political parties must NOT represent a fraction of the electorate. No caste/religion/identity based politics ever. No state parties and divisive agendas allowed in national elections.
B) He was for cultural purification. I think that is a regressive idea. Let culture be free.
C) Sometimes he seemed to be opposing the Congress just for the sake of it and came out as petty. Although think that every political leader incl Gandhi had human failings and came out as petty sometimes.
——————————————————
The book was very readable and the writing was as good as Guha (or any other that I have read). The author has a little bias for Savarkar but he has laid out the facts in detail and let the readers make up their minds. Also, sometimes felt the book went a little too much into detail. Else it would have been 5/5.
——————————————————
PS:- “The Kashmir Files” released a couple of days ago. I am yet to watch it but reviews of mainstream media have called it names - for being provocative, exploitative, ham-handed and totally lacking in nuance. Words they didnt use for the one-sided “Haider” which got rave reviews. But India seems to be changing, smashing thru the left-liberal hegemony one book and one movie at a time.
October 21, 2021
Interesting book which gives us a different version of the independence movement from that popularly known official version
A personality who is totally and ideological opponent of Gandhi,who his also a social reformer and true nationalist, may be too aggressive as we don't know how his thoughts would have worked in a multi faith India .
A version which one must know to have a more balanced view on our established heroes of our freedom movement and many who fell by the wayside, as always history is always written by victors and rulers
A personality who is totally and ideological opponent of Gandhi,who his also a social reformer and true nationalist, may be too aggressive as we don't know how his thoughts would have worked in a multi faith India .
A version which one must know to have a more balanced view on our established heroes of our freedom movement and many who fell by the wayside, as always history is always written by victors and rulers
April 24, 2024
This book was a stellar piece of research. A must read for anyone who wants the details and understanding of the freedom struggle from all perspectives. Savarkar had amazing vision as some of the things he said in his lifetime were prophetic. He had amazing vision. Just be prepared for a dense and involved read.
September 7, 2022
When @midlandbooksofficial handed me this biography, I was visibly puzzled as to why I should read about Savarkar. I finally understood why I was given this book to read.
For starters, much of the incidents, even those directly outside of Savarkar's own life, have been part of a lot of parlance and political debate since last year. Many of the incidents of the riots mentioned were told to me by Pakistani twitter people with a very unnerving pride in each pogrom. Other things too I had heard of here and there, but this book consolidated much of the information out there in discourse into one linear, straightforward narrative taking the perspective of Savarkar over the two volumes.
The writing style is obviously similar to movies like the Joker, where in volume 1 he is referred to as Vinayak, but after his Andaman jailing, in volume 2 he is referred to as Savarkar.
Beyond Savarkar's own bias, the author too might have his biases, as seen by the political circles the book is promoted in, and they do play into the narrative of the book, but they are kept in a realm of self awareness, and the reader can see through it if they choose to do so.
The narration itself is really poetic and extremely cinematic, especially that in the first book. The second book focuses more on the events happening around Savarkar at the time, and this is reflected in the passive role he played in politics for circumstances explained in the book.
Many things over the two volumes such as India House in England, the divide and rule policy of the British in Andamans, the Mapillahs doing a pogrom in Kerala, the anti-Brahmin genocide after Gandhi's death (and the subsequent purge of the opposition Mahasabha by the INC), and especially the list of Hindu reformist ideals of Savarkar were some amongst the many things mentioned in this book.
The book isn't shy to criticize him either, although this is where the bias of the book shines through the most as well. The author acts like a defense lawyer for Savarkar in most cases, but then he doesn't do much in terms of praise either.
The author is biased, but the book is neutral, is probably how I could sum it up in a sentence.
But that doesn't take away from how poetic and well written the whole narration is.
And once again, I would maintain that such narrations are very important to be in the mainstream for discussion. While the Muslim League (with Iqbal, Aligarh movement, etc) and the INC (with their inspiration lying in European democratic and secular institutions) both had their set of intellectual body ready, the Hindu mahasabha did not as most of Hinduism in terms of history was discovered by the British. HM was focused on militarizing Hindus for defence, but never made a body of intellectual work that signalled their stances until recently. BJP is just a side effect of this.
At the end of the day, to seek reconciliation, such a body of work was a prerequisite, and one that wasn't available 80-or-so years ago. Hence, propaganda or not, such books (there are more that come under the whole "new India" style of writing) should be read by all, to further understanding each other and bridging the gap between each other.
For more reviews, follow @normiesaftersesh on Instagram.
For starters, much of the incidents, even those directly outside of Savarkar's own life, have been part of a lot of parlance and political debate since last year. Many of the incidents of the riots mentioned were told to me by Pakistani twitter people with a very unnerving pride in each pogrom. Other things too I had heard of here and there, but this book consolidated much of the information out there in discourse into one linear, straightforward narrative taking the perspective of Savarkar over the two volumes.
The writing style is obviously similar to movies like the Joker, where in volume 1 he is referred to as Vinayak, but after his Andaman jailing, in volume 2 he is referred to as Savarkar.
Beyond Savarkar's own bias, the author too might have his biases, as seen by the political circles the book is promoted in, and they do play into the narrative of the book, but they are kept in a realm of self awareness, and the reader can see through it if they choose to do so.
The narration itself is really poetic and extremely cinematic, especially that in the first book. The second book focuses more on the events happening around Savarkar at the time, and this is reflected in the passive role he played in politics for circumstances explained in the book.
Many things over the two volumes such as India House in England, the divide and rule policy of the British in Andamans, the Mapillahs doing a pogrom in Kerala, the anti-Brahmin genocide after Gandhi's death (and the subsequent purge of the opposition Mahasabha by the INC), and especially the list of Hindu reformist ideals of Savarkar were some amongst the many things mentioned in this book.
The book isn't shy to criticize him either, although this is where the bias of the book shines through the most as well. The author acts like a defense lawyer for Savarkar in most cases, but then he doesn't do much in terms of praise either.
The author is biased, but the book is neutral, is probably how I could sum it up in a sentence.
But that doesn't take away from how poetic and well written the whole narration is.
And once again, I would maintain that such narrations are very important to be in the mainstream for discussion. While the Muslim League (with Iqbal, Aligarh movement, etc) and the INC (with their inspiration lying in European democratic and secular institutions) both had their set of intellectual body ready, the Hindu mahasabha did not as most of Hinduism in terms of history was discovered by the British. HM was focused on militarizing Hindus for defence, but never made a body of intellectual work that signalled their stances until recently. BJP is just a side effect of this.
At the end of the day, to seek reconciliation, such a body of work was a prerequisite, and one that wasn't available 80-or-so years ago. Hence, propaganda or not, such books (there are more that come under the whole "new India" style of writing) should be read by all, to further understanding each other and bridging the gap between each other.
For more reviews, follow @normiesaftersesh on Instagram.
May 5, 2024
I cut one star because While Vikram Sampath’s narrative prowess is undeniable, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of dissatisfaction with the depth of ideological exploration in the book, while rich in detail, often meanders through minutiae that, though interesting, detract from a rigorous analysis of Savarkar’s thoughts and philosophy. The substance I crave is there, but it’s buried under layers of details. I was left yearning for a more incisive dive into the ideological underpinnings that could have shed light on the complexities of Savarkar’s vision and its resonance—or lack thereof—in our times.
Despite the 1200-page length of the biography set, Sampath still allocates surprisingly little time to Savarkar’s actual thoughts and ideology. For example, while describing Savarkar's book 'six epochs' Vikram skipped that, Savarkar admired Brahmin king Pusvamitra Shunga and denounced Buddhism which is in contrary to Ambedkar who admired Buddhism & denounced Pusvamitra Shunga in his book Revolution and counter revolution. Vikram didn't talk about Savarkar's rebuttal to the conversion of Ambedkar to Buddhism in his article. I think that event had some impact on Savarkar's ideas. As both wrote history in their own way, there must be more such discrepancies & differences which make Ambedkar the ideological opponent of Savarkar not Gandhi. Gandhi is just a brand for a new nation and doesn't have any ideology. As Ambedkar said, "Non-violence was never possible, Violence never necessary".
Although This book is pretty good and well written, I don't agree with Savarkar's ideas and version of history, reading Savarkar & Ambedkar's version at the same time I can see Savarkar's version is very much a Brahminical version of history in which untouchability didn't exist & u r too good and all your opponent are too bad. He was selling pride, in which he was pretty successful. I will say his ideas were pretty close to fascism but fascism has become a bad word nowadays So, I can't say that. 'When people look in the mirror they see a good person. How can they be a fascist. Fascist are bad they aren't bad. It's Hindutva or Vedic Hinduism.' As Harari pointed out, fascism is nothing but the true & supreme pride in oneself, one's identity, one's scriptures, one's history, one's language, everything of our own and that's why it is very attractive. 'We are the best, all else is useless. All religions, science & knowledge comes from vedas and we created them, all of Earth's history before and after vedas are inconsequential.' That's what I make of talking to Savarkarite people.
As for the book, it has Assassinations, murders, boam blast, an empire in decline and another one in making, Thrilling ride. I think the Ghandhi assassination plot should have been a book in itself. Although for the full story of Ironic destiny of political assassinations the entire book set is worth reading. Reading the same history from the eyes of Ambedkar also, it sure can be a series 'Game of Empires'.
Despite the 1200-page length of the biography set, Sampath still allocates surprisingly little time to Savarkar’s actual thoughts and ideology. For example, while describing Savarkar's book 'six epochs' Vikram skipped that, Savarkar admired Brahmin king Pusvamitra Shunga and denounced Buddhism which is in contrary to Ambedkar who admired Buddhism & denounced Pusvamitra Shunga in his book Revolution and counter revolution. Vikram didn't talk about Savarkar's rebuttal to the conversion of Ambedkar to Buddhism in his article. I think that event had some impact on Savarkar's ideas. As both wrote history in their own way, there must be more such discrepancies & differences which make Ambedkar the ideological opponent of Savarkar not Gandhi. Gandhi is just a brand for a new nation and doesn't have any ideology. As Ambedkar said, "Non-violence was never possible, Violence never necessary".
Although This book is pretty good and well written, I don't agree with Savarkar's ideas and version of history, reading Savarkar & Ambedkar's version at the same time I can see Savarkar's version is very much a Brahminical version of history in which untouchability didn't exist & u r too good and all your opponent are too bad. He was selling pride, in which he was pretty successful. I will say his ideas were pretty close to fascism but fascism has become a bad word nowadays So, I can't say that. 'When people look in the mirror they see a good person. How can they be a fascist. Fascist are bad they aren't bad. It's Hindutva or Vedic Hinduism.' As Harari pointed out, fascism is nothing but the true & supreme pride in oneself, one's identity, one's scriptures, one's history, one's language, everything of our own and that's why it is very attractive. 'We are the best, all else is useless. All religions, science & knowledge comes from vedas and we created them, all of Earth's history before and after vedas are inconsequential.' That's what I make of talking to Savarkarite people.
As for the book, it has Assassinations, murders, boam blast, an empire in decline and another one in making, Thrilling ride. I think the Ghandhi assassination plot should have been a book in itself. Although for the full story of Ironic destiny of political assassinations the entire book set is worth reading. Reading the same history from the eyes of Ambedkar also, it sure can be a series 'Game of Empires'.
May 3, 2022
This is the second and the last part of the 2-book biography series written by Vikram Sampath on VD Savarkar. This part captures his life post his release from Andaman's infamous Cellular jail.
More than being a great biography, this is the finest piece of history writing which captures the watershed moments like Congress's support to Khilafat Movement (probably the biggest blunder made by Gandhi), negotiations and talks preceding India's independence, horrors of partition and finally Gandhi's murder by Godse & Savarkar's trial as one of the conspirators in the same, all of these intertwined with Savarkar's own life.
The book portrays Savarkar in a near unbiased manner. It highlights his major achievements in running anti-untouchability movements, growing Hindu Mahasabha to a formidable level and winning several battles with his opponents through both dialogue and activist actions. At the same time, it also highlights his major weaknesses which led to the later downfall of Hindu Mahasabha, some parts of his personality and working style which led to frustration and disillusionment among his supporters.
From this book I found that despite having massive ideological differences with the Congress, there were hardly any personal animosity between him and the large section of Congress leaders. Even Indira Gandhi held him in high regards and considered him as one of the greatest freedom fighters. However, later he was completely ostracized and wrongly became merely the symbol of islamophobia. This is probably the most disappointing discovery from this book. This is the extent to which the public perception could molded if the power remains in the hands of ideologically possessed academia and media.
More than being a great biography, this is the finest piece of history writing which captures the watershed moments like Congress's support to Khilafat Movement (probably the biggest blunder made by Gandhi), negotiations and talks preceding India's independence, horrors of partition and finally Gandhi's murder by Godse & Savarkar's trial as one of the conspirators in the same, all of these intertwined with Savarkar's own life.
The book portrays Savarkar in a near unbiased manner. It highlights his major achievements in running anti-untouchability movements, growing Hindu Mahasabha to a formidable level and winning several battles with his opponents through both dialogue and activist actions. At the same time, it also highlights his major weaknesses which led to the later downfall of Hindu Mahasabha, some parts of his personality and working style which led to frustration and disillusionment among his supporters.
From this book I found that despite having massive ideological differences with the Congress, there were hardly any personal animosity between him and the large section of Congress leaders. Even Indira Gandhi held him in high regards and considered him as one of the greatest freedom fighters. However, later he was completely ostracized and wrongly became merely the symbol of islamophobia. This is probably the most disappointing discovery from this book. This is the extent to which the public perception could molded if the power remains in the hands of ideologically possessed academia and media.
March 21, 2022
Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down! Dr.Sampath has done brilliant research. As in life, so in death Veer Savarkar's name had been mired in controversy. But a true authentic biography with objective analysis was wanting. This book and its predecessor have done a fabulous job of presenting the true Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. I ponder on the fact that the man never had a moment's peace as he was persecuted first by the British and then by the Indian National Congress. A true patriot and a hero, his story needs to be read by one and all!
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