How is Hindutva different from Hinduism?

Hinduism is the name given to the most ancient and persistent religion on the Indian subcontinent, and Hindutva is the name by which the ideology of the Hindu right, represented by the political party Bharatiya Janata Party, or Indian People’s Party (BJP), is known.

What is the concept of Hindutva?

According to Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of World Religions, Hindutva is a concept of “Indian cultural, national, and religious identity”. The term “conflates a geographically based religious, cultural, and national identity: a true ‘Indian’ is one who partakes of this ‘Hindu-ness’.

Is Hinduism accepting of other religions?

Hinduism has no formal conversion into or excommunication from the faith. The Hindu belief is totally non-exclusive and accepts all other faiths and religious paths. In fact, an ancient Vedic text says that God or Truth is one and wise people refer to it by very many names.

What does Hinduism believe about death?

Hindu beliefs about death The Hindu faith is centred around reincarnation; the belief that when someone dies, the soul is reborn as a different form. They believe that although the physical body dies, their soul remains and continues to recycle until it settles upon its true nature.

Is criticism of caste the same as Hinduphobia?

Some even argue that ‘annihilating caste’ is code word for ‘destroying Hinduism’ and therefore an expression of covert Hinduphobia. The movement to oppose this Hinduphobia is termed Hindutva, which is then conflated with Hinduism, leading to confusion all around.

What is Hindutva according to Savarkar?

Savarkar used the term “Hindutva” (Sanskrit -tva, neuter abstract suffix) to describe “Hinduness” or the “quality of being a Hindu”. Hindus, according to Savarkar, are those who consider India to be the land in which their ancestors lived, as well as the land in which their religion originated.

What does Hinduism say about periods?

Hinduism’s views on menstruation are diverse. Menstruation is seen as a period of purification, and women are often separated from place of worship or any object pertaining to it, for the length of their period. This forms the basis of most of the cultural practices and restrictions around menstruation in Hinduism.

How is Christianity and Hinduism similar?

There are many other similarities between Hinduism and Christianity, including the use of incense, sacred bread (prasadam), the different altars around churches (which recall the manifold deities in their niches inside Hindu temples), reciting prayers on the rosary (Vedic japamala), the Christian Trinity (the ancient …

What is afterlife in Hinduism?

Most Hindus believe that humans are in a cycle of death and rebirth called samsara. When a person dies, their atman is reborn in a different body. Hindus believe that an atman may enter swarg or narak for a period before rebirth. Hindus believe in karma or ‘intentional action’.

Why do Hindu shave their heads when someone dies?

Mundan, as they call it, is the ritual of shaving the head post the death of an elderly member in the family. It is believed that shaving off the hair helps men to let go of their ego. It gives them a sense of responsibility and reminds them to be obedient and become more selfless while performing their deeds.

What are the effects of Hindutva?

The Effects of Hindutva: Violent Pogroms and the Destruction of the National Fabric The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS, or the ‘Sangh,’– literally ‘National Volunteer Corps’), was started in 1925 for ‘propagating Hindu culture.’

Why are there different stages of death in Hinduism?

According to the Hindu scriptures, many souls are born as humans after death. The different stages of death help to boost the belief. It is said that these courses help to warn people against the neglect of self-knowledge, which can eventually bring about eternal peace, happiness, and immortality.

What are the Hindu death rituals for mother and father?

The Hindu death rituals vary for that of the mother and father. Hindu culture pays heed to the Hindu Gods, and it is said that the souls after death become divine beings too and are treated accordingly. According to the Garuda Purana, the family members become unclean or a-swachh after their loved ones’ death.

What is the history of Hindutva in India?

Hindutva has transformed Indian domestic politics and foreign policy since the early 1980s, but Hindutva as an ideology and movement has almost a century of history behind it. The term “Hindutva” comes from V.D. Sarvarkar, a Maharastrian Brahmin who would later become president of the ethnonationalist Hindu Mahasabha (1937–1942).