Yan Xiang (Author)
School of Asian and African Studies, Xi’an International Studies University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710000
Bharatiya Janata Party, nishad, Guha, myth, reconstruction
11-06-2026
The reconstruction of lower-caste myths constitutes an important means by which the Bharatiya Janata Party promotes a narrative of social harmony, as well as a key strategy for mobilizing electoral support from lower-caste communities. Guha, the chief of the Nishads, assisted Rama to cross the river, providing an ideal cultural resource for the BJP’s project of cultural integration. Since the 1980s, with the rise of hinduism, through selective reinterpretation of nishad mythology, identity reconstruction, and practices such as erecting statues and organizing commemorative events, the BJP has incorporated Guha into the broader Rama narrative, there by advancing its agenda of cultural integration.
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