This paper wants to portray the changing nature of religion in India which causes nothing but segregation among people in the period of the colonial to postcolonial era. Hindu the predominating religion in India and the attempt to make India a Hindu country many times caused major harm to other communities.
After colonial domination, significantly in contemporary times (last 6 to 7 years), religiosity among people took a horrendous form in India. The growing intolerance for a hollow ideology like religion makes the country an uncomfortable habitation for minorities. The Media sphere is also largely influenced and subservient to religious notions. Religion is an excellent apparatus for political gain. Over time the salience of religion transforms public life and became highly politicized.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Section 1
1.1
1.2
Section 2
2.1
2.2
2.3
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the transformation of the salience of religion in Indian public life during the transition from the colonial to the postcolonial era, specifically analyzing the role of religion in the contemporary context of market liberalization, media digitalization, and electoral democracy.
- The historical construction of communal identities and Hindu-Muslim contestation.
- The influence of nationalist myth-making on modern political movements.
- The instrumental use of religious ideology in capitalist market strategies.
- The impact of digital media and television on reinforcing religious and patriarchal stereotypes.
- The systemic integration of religion into electoral incentives and communal violence.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Emergence of the idea of “Hindu” in colonial and postcolonial periods:
The emergence of imaginary kinship and the spreading of the idea of “community identity” instigated the political purpose of state authority in the colonial period (Freitag 1996). In eighteenth-century India, the Hindu merchant class started reshaping the idea of Hinduism and the enforcement of Hindu regulations such as vegetarianism on people, brought contestation among religious groups in public (Cherian colloquium). This contestation later helped the British to transform their trade into an empire. The foundation of the country is caste-based, and religion always is the determining factor from the ancient period, but with colonial imperialism, communal politics acquired a new wave, which shifted to the postcolonial era in a different form in its expression. The cow protection movement of the 1890s brought the politics of communalism to the forefront, which lately followed by several communal agitations even in the postcolonial era. Ajodhya agitation in the late twentieth century regarding the location of Babri Masjid, which according to some fundamentalists was previously a Hindu temple but was later annihilated to establish a mosque. Historically, Ayodhya was the native land of the Hindu deity Rama.
The cow protection movement in the late nineteenth century occurred mostly in North Indian states along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar under the surveillance of Dayananda Saraswati who established “Gaorakshini Sabha” in Punjab for the first time (Freitag 1996). The cow is considered a sacred animal and is treated as a mother (Gaomata) in the Hindu religion. The Muslims and lower caste people became the victim of it. The condition of Muslims and the untouchables of India have always been poverty-stricken, and they never had lands for farming. Therefore, they chose butchery as an occupation and also consumed beef because of its low price.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of how religious traditions and norms have historically dominated the socio-cultural and political spheres in India, gaining increased political significance in recent years.
1.1: Analyzes the colonial roots of communal identity, focusing on movements like cow protection and the reshaping of Hindu regulations that laid the groundwork for later political agitations.
1.2: Examines how nationalist movements in the twentieth century utilized religious figures and ideologies to mobilize the masses, thereby creating a complex intersection of religion and colonial-era politics.
2.1: Discusses the strategic integration of religion into the post-1991 economic landscape, where political parties combined market liberalization with cultural nationalism to maintain public influence.
2.2: Explores how digital media and television broadcasts of mythological epics have been manipulated to reinforce communal identity and propagate patriarchal gender roles.
2.3: Investigates the electoral use of religion in India, arguing that political parties frequently incite communal tensions and prioritize religious polarization to secure vote banks.
Keywords
Hinduism, Colonialism, Postcolonialism, Communalism, Nationalism, Market Liberalization, Digital Media, Electoral Democracy, Ayodhya, Babri Masjid, RSS, BJP, Caste, Identity Politics, Secularism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research?
The research explores the evolution of the role of religion in Indian public life and how it has transformed from the colonial era through to the present day.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers the historical development of communalism, the impact of neoliberal economic reforms on religious politics, the role of media in spreading Hindu nationalism, and the manipulation of religion in electoral processes.
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to understand how the integration of religious ideology into public and political spheres has shaped contemporary Indian society, particularly regarding the rights of minorities.
Which scientific methods or approaches are utilized?
The author uses a historical-sociological approach, synthesizing literature on colonial and postcolonial politics to analyze the construction of Hindu nationalist identities.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the emergence of Hindu community identities, the politicization of Rama, the intersection of technological progress with religious fundamentalism, and the recurring patterns of communal violence.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key concepts include Hindu nationalism, communal violence, media digitalization, electoral strategy, and identity construction.
How does the author characterize the role of media in Indian religion?
The author argues that media and television have served as instruments to politicize mythology, presenting epic narratives as modern political tools that reinforce patriarchy and communal segregation.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding modern India?
The author concludes that religious propaganda has increasingly subordinated secular governance, leading to a climate where religious practices dominate public life and threaten the fundamental rights of marginalized communities.
- Quote paper
- Suparna Chakraborty (Author), 2019, Analyzing Religions in India, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1329925
