Savarkar Jayanti- May 28

 

Savarkar Jayanti is celebrated on May 28th every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar—freedom fighter, poet, and ideologue of Hindutva.

🔹 Savarkar Jayanti – Significance

• Date: May 28

• Born: 1883, in Bhagur, near Nashik, Maharashtra

• Occasion: To honor Savarkar’s contribution to India's freedom struggle and his role in shaping Hindu nationalist thought.

---

🔹 How It Is Observed

• In Maharashtra and across India:

  • Wreath-laying at Savarkar memorials (notably at Savarkar Smarak in Mumbai).

  • Speeches, seminars, and discussions on his writings and legacy.

  • Events organized by Hindu Mahasabha, RSS, and BJP to pay tribute.

• Political Significance:

  • Seen as a major commemorative event by right-wing and nationalist organizations.

  • Occasionally marked by calls for posthumous honors, such as the Bharat Ratna.

  • A point of ideological contest—while his followers celebrate him as a visionary, critics use the day to discuss his polarizing ideas.

🔹 Key Contributions and Roles

🔸 Freedom Fighter

• Advocated for complete independence from British rule, one of the first to use the term “Hindutva” to define Indian nationalism.

• Arrested in 1909 for his alleged involvement in revolutionary activities; sentenced to life imprisonment and deported to the Cellular Jail in Andaman Islands.

🔸 Hindutva Ideology

• Authored "Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?" in 1923, where he outlined a vision of Indian identity centered on Hindu culture and values.

• Distinguished between Indian nationalism and the secular or composite nationalism promoted by leaders like Gandhi or Nehru.

🔸 Political Influence

• President of the Hindu Mahasabha (1937–1943), an organization that promoted Hindu nationalist politics.

• Opposed the Quit India Movement (1942), arguing it was poorly timed during World War II.

🔹 Legacy

• Revered by right-wing groups and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a brave patriot and ideologue of Hindutva.

• Viewed more critically by secular and left-leaning historians for his exclusionary views and ideological rigidity.

• His role in the freedom movement is debated—seen by some as revolutionary, by others as communal.

---

🔹 Notable Works

• "Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?"

• "The History of the First War of Indian Independence" (1857)

• Several poems, plays, and speeches advocating nationalism.