Abstract

Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains in India were in the midst of redefining what it meant to belong to their communities by the end of the 19th century. This occurred within the confines set by the English language, and European ideas of religion, history, societies, and nations. It is argued that the new role of religion that emerged in the 19th century had major implications for political life in the 20th century in South Asia. They also laid the foundation for different types of religious nationalism and communalism in South Asia.