: INTRODUCTION

Nationalism is the Idea of oneness. It unites people of a nation

to fight against the external forces. It creats a feeling that our
nation is superior. This feeling inducesone nation to gain power
over weak and neighbouring nations, which is one of the
negative aspect of nationalism. Nationalism arises during
industrial revolution. It is very new for the world.

Nationalism in India is a modern phenomenon, too. It has been

the fall out of anti-colonialism. People began discovering their
unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism. The sense
of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond
that tied many different groups together. But each class and
group felt the effects of colonialism differently, their
experiences were varied and their notions of freedom were not
always the same.

In India, earlier to 1857, there was no concept of nation or

nationalism. At that time, there were several empires and
kingdoms in India- the Maurya, the Chera, the Chalukya, the
Bahmani, the Mughal, and so on- but there were no nations or
nationalisms. These kingdoms could at best generate dynastic
patriotism, which is a medieval virtue.1

1
, “Nationalism, then and now”, 1 Frontline 1(2016)