Swami Dayananda Sarasvati’s vision of Golden Vedic Age in contemporary Birla Mandirs: the idea of the Birla Temple as an inspiration and reflection for modern Hindutva

The article discusses the issues of contemporary Hindutva and its relationship with the ideas of Dayananda Sarasvati’s Golden Vedic Age, which are promoted not only in official publications but also symbolically in Hindu temples (Mandirs). The Birla family, founders of many temple complexes throughout India, propagated their own vision of modern Hinduism, in which Dayananda played a very significant role. His teachings and interpretation of Hinduism became an inspiration for many Hindutva supporters, including PM Modi. The authors hypothesize that, since the symbolism and message of the Golden Vedic Age can be interpreted in various ways, it may also be incorporated into the structure of Hindutva ideology. The complex symbolism of Vedic sacrifice, as presented in the Birla temple iconography, can be used in the realities of politicized religion and serve to justify the concept of building a Hindu Rashtra, an ideal Hindu state. The skillful and creative use of mythological and religious symbolism can contribute to achieving political success, especially in a country with a strong religious identity, such as India.