The Ekatmata Yatras were a series of
pilgrimages and political strategies used to promote Hindu Polity or
Hindutva. The strategy involved the mobilization of large pilgrimages (
Yatras) to gather support for pro-Hindu political positions. The concept of the Ekatmata Yatra was formulated by the
Vishva Hindu Parishad in the early 1980s.
Description
During the 1960s, the rise of
Hindu nationalism
Hindu nationalism has been collectively referred to as the expression of social and political thought, based on the native spiritual and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindu nationalism" or the correct term ''Hindū rāṣṭ ...
in Indian politics resulted in several Hindu-supportive political parties and organizations growing in size and influence. One of these organisations was
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing organization which mobilized support for Hindu politicians and policies. In 1983, VHP decided to organize a widespread series of political pilgrimages across India; these Yatras were intended to galvanize public support for causes that VHP supported. In particular, the pilgrimages were organized in such a way as to be Pan-Hindu, allowing members of all
caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...
s to participate;
this was in keeping with one of VHP's long-held opinions that the caste system should be suppressed.
The march was also focused around that idea that, by reigniting interest in Hindu religious rights, Hindus would be less susceptible to conversion attempts by
Christians and
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
s.
The first pilgrimage (later referred to as the First Ekatmata Yatra, translatable to "Pilgrimage of One Soulness"
) began in November 1983, and involved thousands of Hindus undertaking a pilgrimage to various holy sites.
The pilgrims formed three processions; one from
Kathmandu to
Rameshwaram, a second from
Gangasagar
Gangasagar is a village and a gram panchayat within the jurisdiction of the Sagar police station in the Sagar CD block in the Kakdwip subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Mythological significance
...
to
Somnath temple, and a third from
Haridwar to
Kanyakumari.
These three main pilgrim parties were supplemented by dozens of smaller groups, and carried relics and idols with them.
Many pilgrims carried water from the sacred
Ganges river
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
during the journey, and the columns of travellers often stopped at Hindu temples and holy sites to gather more
sacred water.
All of the pilgrimage parties eventually congregated in
Nagpur.
The event involved Hindus from Burma, Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
The first of the Ekatmata Yatras was well-received by many practitioners of Hinduism, and as such the prestige of the VHP was increased.
Soon after the end of the marches, the organization was able to use the influence its high-profile pilgrimage had garnered to involve the organization in the ongoing
Ayodhya dispute.
VHP organized the Second Ekatmata Yatra in 1995,
and the organization led two further pilgrimages (known as the 1996 Amarnath Yatra and the Baba Buddha Amarnath Yatra) in 1996 and 2005.
References
{{reflist
Hindu pilgrimages
Hinduism in India
Political movements in India