The Hindu Hurt

The ascent of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) In India and its successive victories in 3 general elections has put the spotlight on Hindutva or Hindu Nationalism. However, the impression of Hindutva that has gained currency in the West (to some extent in India) is a distorted one; a canard spread by its adversaries who have misrepresented its concepts to project it as supremacist hate- a false patois that calls out for correction. This book does so in a narrative spread out over 22 chapters and divided into 3 parts (150 references).Indian history from the 7th century onwards till the 20th century has been one long, tragic story of repeated foreign invasions by Islamic invaders. The first part of this book documents with historical references the constellation of wounds: mass killings, destruction of temples, forced conversions, jizya tax and slavery - which constitute what the author, Bharat, calls the 'Hindu Hurt". Against this backdrop, a collective Hindu identity began to emerge: first as military resistance by. Marathas, Sikhs and Rajputs and later as a concrete ideological framework propounded by VD Savarkar and later built upon by Deendayal Upadhya and RS Golwalkar. The second part explores the intellectual foundations of Hindutva. The third part counters contemporary critics such as Ramachandra Guha, Shashi Tharoor, and Pankaj Mishra. This book is essential reading for those seeking a deeper understanding of Hindutva beyond common misconceptions.