NATIONALISM: THE VIVEKANANDA WAY

Nationalism is a contested concept. It is used both positively and negatively to either unite a people or whip up jingoistic passions among people. In the context of India, nationalism holds a different connotation that defies all western categorizations as India is not a nation in the traditional sense of the term; rather it is a ‘supranation' consisting of multiple nations. Culture plays the most vital role in uniting people in India having diverse races, religions, languages, ethnicities and life-styles and gives them a sense of togetherness. It was Vivekananda, who during the early years of nationalistic resurgence, gave India's quest for identity a definite direction by striving to revive the country's age old traditional values and inclusive cultural ethos. His efforts immensely helped in drawing the attention of the western world towards the unique aspects of India's cultural heritage. This paper would offer a politico-cultural view of Indian nationalism and specifically discuss Swami Vivekananda's contributions to enrich it.