Our Hindu Rashtra

By: Aakar Patel

Narrated by: Aakar Patel

India has taken so sharp a turn in recent years that the very centre has shifted considerably. What led to this swing? Is it possible to trace the path to this point? Is there a way back to the just, secular, inclusive vision of our Constitution-makers?This country has long been an outlier in its South Asian neighbourhood, with its inclusive Constitution and functioning democracy. The growth of Hindutva, in some sense, brings India in line with the other polities here. In Our Hindu Rashtra, writer and activist Aakar Patel peels back layer after layer of cause and effect through independent India’s history to understand how Hindutva came to gain such a hold on the country. He examines what it means for India that its laws and judiciary have been permeated by prejudice and bigotry, what the breach of fundamental rights portends in these circumstances, and what the all-round institutional collapse signifies for the future of Indians.Most importantly, Patel asks and answers that most important of questions: What possibilities exist for a return? Thought-provoking and pulling no punches, this book is an essential read for anyone who wishes to understand the nature of politics in India and, indeed, South Asia.

Good content, but suffers from poor audio splicing

This is the best audiobook currently available on Audible concerning India’s descent into religious majoritarianism. It expects the listener to have a decent baseline understanding of India, and does have a tendency to go on tangents, but overall this is a focused and serious inquiry into the subject matter.

I would rate it higher, but this title has some serious presentation issues that bear mentioning. This isn’t the fault of Aakar Patel’s narration, which though having occasional issues of cadence is perfectly understandable. Rather, the splicing together of the audio seems to have been done poorly. Fairly frequently, one will hear sentences get abruptly cut off before they have finished playing back. The missing narration can usually be guessed at, but this is jarring, and unfortunately takes away somewhat from the listen.

With that having been said, this title remains an important resource for those who wish to understand India’s increasingly illiberal and potentially even authoritarian trajectory. If you take this seriously (as most globally minded listeners should) this is a good introduction.