What is Hindutva, and what are the roots of this political movement?
Key takeaways
- One is a 20th century majoritarian movement, the other an ancient faith.
- Two days later, saffron flags associated with Hindu far-right groups were all over the site, with supporters celebrating and filming rituals that were carried out.
- The Kamal Maula mosque, also known as the Bhojshala complex, has been disputed for decades.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Hindutva is very different from Hinduism. One is a 20th century majoritarian movement, the other an ancient faith.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Then-Gujarat Chief Minister - and now prime minister - Narendra Modi along with members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), performing a salute in Ahmedabad, India, January 1, 2006 [Amit Dave/Reuters]By Hamza Ghadban Published On 22 May 202622 May 2026On May 14, the high court in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh ruled that the centuries-old Kamal Maula mosque in the city of Dhar was actually a temple dedicated to a Hindu goddess. Two days later, saffron flags associated with Hindu far-right groups were all over the site, with supporters celebrating and filming rituals that were carried out.
The Kamal Maula mosque, also known as the Bhojshala complex, has been disputed for decades. And such claims are not unique to this mosque. Far-right Hindutva activists have made similar claims – that a given mosque was built atop a temple – across the country, emboldened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power in 2014.