Savarkar’s Coding of Hindutva; Metacode Rashtra, Part 7; Code Territory 6/6); Codeelement Des, Indivisibility of the Territory (2/3)
For Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar, Nepal was far more than a neighboring state. Within his vision of an indivisible Hindu nation, Nepal held a place of central importance.
Nepal as the Core of Hindu Rashtra
Savarkar saw Nepal as a living example of a Hindu kingdom that could serve as the “good core” of Hindu Sangathan. Bound by shared ties of race, religion, language, and culture, he regarded Nepal and India as an inseparable whole. Historically, he argued, Rajputs and Gurkhas were united by their bravery and devotion to the protection of religion – links that firmly embedded Nepal within the Hindu civilizational sphere.
Historical Legitimacy
Savarkar pointed out that Nepal had been ruled by Hindus since the 10th century CE: first by the Newari, later by the Rajputs, who established Kathmandu as their capital. This Hindu rule laid the foundations of modern Nepal while also binding its destiny inseparably to Hindustan. For Savarkar, this was clear proof that Nepal was an integral part of the Hindu nation.
The “Best Part” of Hindu India
What mattered most to Savarkar was the fact that Nepal – unlike the rest of India – had never been conquered by Muslim or European invaders. This allowed Nepal to preserve its religion and culture in purity. For him, Nepal was therefore “the best part of Hindu India,” deserving of a special place of honor in Hindu history.
Political Implications
In this light, Savarkar did not see Nepal as an independent nation-state but as an indispensable part of the future Hindu Rashtra. Whatever strengthened Nepal, he argued, also strengthened Hindustan—and vice versa. His high regard for Nepal ultimately translated into a demand for its full integration into a united Hindu territory.
Resistance to Partition and Fragmentation
To safeguard unity, Savarkar, as president of the Hindu Mahasabha (HMS), led a nationwide campaign against the partition of India. He vehemently rejected the idea of a “Pakistan.” Any division of India, he argued, was a “vivisection of the motherland”—a path that would repeat the chaos of the Mughal Empire’s collapse, when India fragmented into rival states unable to resist foreign domination.
According to Savarkar, the rule was clear: representation strictly according to population strength. He opposed separate electorates or reserved quotas for minorities. Hindus, he emphasized, were willing to protect minorities – but never to allow them to become “states within the state,” which would threaten unity and integrity.
Final Thoughts
For Savarkar, Nepal was not just a friendly neighbor but a core and exemplar of his vision of an indivisible Hindu Rashtra. It appeared to him as both a spiritual guardian that preserved religion and culture intact, and as a potential leader destined to help shape the future of India itself.
💭 What do you think? Do you think Nepal can truly be seen as the “heart” of a Hindu nation? Savarkar emphasized that Nepal was never conquered by foreign powers. Does this make Nepal a unique model of cultural and religious resilience? In your view, how important is history (e.g., Rajputs, Gurkhas, Kathmandu) in shaping Nepal’s identity today? Can Savarkar’s demand—that minorities be protected but never allowed to become “states within the state”—be applied to India’s democracy today? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Sources:
SAVARKAR, Vinayak Damodar. 2007. Hindu Rashtra Darshan. Bharat Bhushan. Abhishek Publications: New Delhi.
SAVARKAR, S. S. and G. M. JOSHI. (Eds.). 1992. Historische Statements (Prophetic Warnings). Statements, Telegrams & Letters. 1941 to 1965 by Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Veer Savarkar Prakashan: Bombay (Mumbai).
SAVARKAR, Vinayak Damodar. 1971. Six glorious (golden) epochs of Indian history. Savarkar Sadan: Bombay. 1971.
SAVARKAR, Vinayak Damodar. 1950. The story of my transportation for life. Sadbhakti Publications: Bombay.
SAVARKAR, Vinayak Damodar. 1941. Whirlwind propaganda: Statements, messages and Extracts from the President’s Diary of his Propagandistic Tours, Interviews from December 1937 to October 1941, (Ed. by A. S. Bhide, Bombay).
WOLF, Siegfried O. 2009. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar und sein Hindutva-Konzept. Die Konstruktion einer kollektiven Identität in Indien [“Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and his concept of Hindutva: The construction of a collective identity in India.”]. Online Dissertation: Heidelberg University: Heidelberg.
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