Savarkar’s Coding of Hindutva; Metacode Rashtra, Part 10; Code Myth (3/20); Codeelement Shivaji and Pan-Hinduism (1/15)
Myth and Nation
The German cultural theorist Andreas Dörner once argued that the most powerful idea modern societies use to hold themselves together is the concept of the nation. Without it, no state can sustain a sense of unity. In India, Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar recognized this early on. Following the example of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he drew upon the legendary figure of Chhatrapati Shivaji (1627/30–1680), the Maratha ruler from Maharashtra who continues to be revered as one of India’s greatest heroes.
For Savarkar, myths were never mere stories. They were codes of identity—powerful symbols that could integrate individuals into a larger community. The figure of Shivaji, in particular, became a focal point of this effort.
The Myth of Shivaji
Savarkar did not simply remember Shivaji as a king. He elevated him to the archetype of the savior. Savarkar, referring to the young Shivaji, observed that people looked to a savior who would redeem the Hindu world, and within Shivaji’s own family it was believed that their household was destined to nurture such a national hero. Elsewhere, he portrayed Shivaji as the very embodiment of a people’s hero – the chosen figure of his community – whose destiny was to secure the political independence of both his land and his nation. Here, Shivaji was not just a regional leader of the Marathas. He became a symbol for all Hindus – from Maharashtra to the Deccan to northern India – whose destiny was tied to liberation and independence.
Savior and Turning Point
At the same time, Savarkar was careful to balance his heroization of Shivaji. He stressed that before Shivaji, Hindus had suffered repeated defeats on the battlefield. With Shivaji, however, fortune shifted. He marked both a turning point in Indian history and the starting point of the Maratha movement.
This idea of a “savior” runs through Savarkar’s writings. Later Maratha leaders such as Baji Rao were also celebrated as divine liberators—avatars of the Hindu race—who freed Hindus not only from Portuguese control in the Konkan but also sought to reclaim sacred spaces across Hindustan. In his book Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History, Savarkar even claimed that Maharashtra’s fight for freedom was, in truth, India’s fight for freedom. Shivaji’s rise, he argued, was only the first link in a “chain of rare and remarkable events” – the opening act of an “epic Hindu-Muslim war”.
Shivaji’s Historical Role
Of course, beyond Savarkar’s myth-making, Shivaji was a historical figure of immense importance. With extraordinary military skill, organizational genius, and charisma, he transformed the Marathas into a formidable political force. At the time, the Mughal Empire was the dominant power in India. Yet under Shivaji’s leadership (1657–1680), the Marathas not only challenged the regional sultanates of Bijapur and Golkonda but also consolidated their own power base. In doing so, they became a direct challenge to Mughal dominance on the subcontinent. Shivaji thus laid the foundations of a Hindu polity that—through a careful mix of warfare and diplomacy—survived until the arrival of British colonial power.
Why the Myth Still Matters
Savarkar’s construction of the “Myth of Shivaji” was not just about the past. It was a deliberate attempt to shape the future by providing Hindus with an archetype of resistance and unity. The enduring power of this myth is evident even today. A striking example is the fierce controversy surrounding James W. Laine’s book Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India (2003), which sparked protests, censorship, and intense debate. The episode demonstrated that the cultural and political charge of Shivaji’s image—first mobilized by Tilak and then reframed by Savarkar—remains deeply alive in contemporary India.
Final Thoughts
By presenting Shivaji as the archetype of the savior, Savarkar offered Hindus not just a historical hero, but a unifying symbol of identity, resistance, and nationhood. In this way, myth became more than memory: it became a code for political action and cultural cohesion.
💭 What do you think? Savarkar argued that Maharashtra’s struggle under Shivaji was also India’s struggle for freedom. Do you agree with this interpretation? How do you feel about the continuing debates over Shivaji’s legacy, such as the controversy surrounding James W. Laine’s book? Which aspect of Shivaji’s story do you find more powerful: his historical achievements or his symbolic role as the “archetype of the savior”? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
👉 Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Sources:
DÖRNER, Andreas. 1994. Politischer Mythos und Symbolische Politik. Sinnstiftung durch Symbolische Formen. Westdeutscher Verlag: Opladen.
SAVARKAR, Vinayak Damodar. 2007. Hindu Rashtra Darshan. Bharat Bhushan. Abhishek Publications: New Delhi.
SAVARKAR, S. S. and G. M. JOSHI. (Eds.). [HS]. 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.
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).
SCHMITT, Carl. 1963. Der Begriff des Politischen. Duncker & Humblot: Berlin.
WOLF, Siegfried O. 2010. Savarkar’s Strategic Agnosticism. A compilation of his political and economic worldview, in Heidelberg Papers in South Asian Comparative Politics (HPSACP), No. 51, Heidelberg University, Germany.
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.
Leave a Reply