Hindutva, Mythistory, and Pseudoarchaeology

Abstract

AbstractThis essay elucidates ideologically-inspired interpretations of the South Asian archeological record, particularly by those calledHindutvādins, and those who write about (and against) them. I first survey briefly the chief points in the history of archaeology in examining the Indus Valley Civilization. Next, I describe some of the major controversies that reflect claims of Hindutva pseudoarchaeology in the South Asian context. Throughout, I illustrate the increasingly virulent interactions between Hindutva proponents, indigenist theorists, and academic interpreters, and what these debates foretell of the future of Indus Valley studies.