Religion, Community and Nation

Religion, Community and Nation: Hindu Consciousness and Nationalism in Colonial Punjab examines the emergence and growth of a Hindu communitarian identity in Punjab and its interface with the nationalist discourse and the anti-colonial struggle from the late nineteenth century to the closing years of the 1920s. An attempt has been made to understand and explain how different sections of the new Hindu elite, having developed a distinct communitarian identity, negotiated with the ideology of inclusive nationalism and the anti-imperialist struggle represented by the Congress. However, the Hindu consciousness that emerged and evolved in colonial Punjab was far from monolithic and represented divergent perceptions. One of the trends that dominated the Hindu discourse and polity, described in this study as the 'nationalist-communitarian' perspective, was led by Lala Lajpat Rai. This volume also takes a fresh look at the position of Lala Lajpat Rai in the context of the shifts taking place in Hindu identity politics as well as in the nationalist movement.