Importance Of Nationalism In India

Nationalism in India by-Nakul Vaidya

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Before we go into the depths of Nationalism in India, we must first understand what is

Nationalism?

Nationalism is the desire for national advancement or political independence. It is a complex word which represents patriotism and a sense of togetherness between one another. It is an ideology oriented towards gaining and maintaining self-governance or complete independence.

Let us accept that 'India' was never really ONE land. It was a collection of nation states and principalities that actually got one identity only after the British took over. Only a few emperors like Maurya's (322-185 BC) and Mughal's (1526-1764 AD) were able to unite the whole country and met the definition of a Nation on such

Since then, it started expanding its territories by winning various battles like the “Battle of Buxar”, the “Anglo-Mysore wars”, the “Anglo-Maratha wars” which led to their control over vast regions of India.

As a result of an accumulation of various factors over time, it became the first time in Indian history that the people came together to rebel against oppression, unfair policies and threat of losing their religion and kingdom against Britishers. Under the leadership of Rani Lakshmi Bai and Bahadur

Shah Zafar, people revolted in 1857, which was also termed as India’s first war of Independence.

This was first-time that the people of India fought for their rights and motherland and hence the idea of Indian Nationalism emerged into the heart of the people. Although the war lead to mass killing and destruction in middle and eastern parts of India, it was successful in ending the rule of the British East India Company and now the rule was transferred to the Crown in person , Queen

Victoria.

The era of British Raj started with new and strict laws which led to Indian Nationalism hide beneath the ground. Many liberals like John Stuart Mill believed that “Britishers conceived the

“The programme provided for a surrender of government titles, the boycott of schools, courts and councils, the boycott of foreign goods, encouragement of national schools, arbitration courts and khadi

(homespun cloth)”*1. There was huge participation from peasants, non-Brahman lower-caste, the labor class, the Traders as every class of people were badly affected by British policies even tribes took Non-Cooperation movement as an opportunity to organize powerful tribal movements like forest satyagraha. The violent action of the Indians in Churi Chaura had depressed Gandhiji as he strongly believed in satyagraha which is non-violence and this is one of the main reasons that led to his calling off the movement. Many top leaders of the country were stunned at this sudden suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement. On 10th March 1922, Mahatma Gandhi was arrested followed by the arrest of other leaders.This movement further strengthened the

Hindu-Muslim unity and the Indian masses displayed immense courage and spirit of sacrifice throughout the event.

The most significant aspects of the Non-cooperation movement were, however, its