V. D. Savarkar, Selections from The Indian War of Independence, 1857: Reading and Discussion Questions

1. Which historical event (or events) is Savarkar writing about in his book? Why does it matter to Savarkar that the events of 1857 be classified as a war of independence?

2. (151) Why has Savarkar written this book?

3. (151) Who is the intended audience of Savarkar’s book?

4. (152, also 154) According to the Publisher’s Preface, why was Savarkar’s book translated into English? Who translated the book?

5. (153) According to G.M. Joshi and Bal Savarkar, the authors of “The Story of this History,” why does Savarkar write the book?

6. (153) In the following sentence, who are the moralists?

“The very mention of [armed national revolt] was brushed aside as chimerical by the then extremists, was denounced as criminal by the loyal moderates and was even anathematized as immoral by the half-witted moralists!”

7. (154) Savarkar originally wrote his book in which language?

8. (155) Why is it significant the book was proscribed even before it was published? (Define proscribed)

9. (161)What is Savarkar’s problem with English historians?

10. (161-62) What is Savarkar’s problem with Indian historians?

11. (163) What were the “real” causes of the revolution?

Discussion questions:

Discussion questions:

1. M.K. Gandhi and V.D. Savarkar provide contrasting interpretations about the idea of swaraj. Do you agree (or disagree) with this statement? Provide examples from the text to support your claim.

2. Why does Savarkar write history? What would Gandhi say about Savarkar’s interpretation of history?

3. What does Savarkar mean by the following:

The nation that has no consciousness of its past has no future. Equally true is that a nation must develop its capacity not only of claiming a past but also of knowing how to use it for the furtherance of its future. The nation out to be the master and not the slave of its own history. (151)

4. Why do individuals like Savarkar and Gandhi refer to slavery when talking about the colonial experience?

5. What would Savarkar say to Michael Kohlhaas?

6. Use the arguments in Chapter 26 (“Writing and Translation) of the Course Guide & Writer’s Handbook to discuss the issue of translation in “The Original Publisher’s Preface.” (197)

7. Are Savarkar and Gandhi trying to reach the same public/counterpublic through their writings? Does it help the public/counterpublic to have contrasting interpretations of swaraj?