Punyabhumi: The Sacred Land That Unites Us All

In today’s context, we can see the concept of Punyabhumi expressed in various forms. For example, slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” “Vande Mataram,” the imagery of Bharat Mata, and the presence of pilgrimage sites across different parts of the nation all reflect this idea.

In particular, the concept of Punyabhumi holds a significant place in the present form of Hindu nationalism. However, we believe that the concept of Punyabhumi is not merely a Hindu-centric idea but rather a nationalist perspective. Whether a person is a Muslim or a Christian, if they consider and accept this land as their Punyabhu, then the notion of Punyabhumi transcends limited Hinduism and evolves into a nationalist mindset. This is indeed true because religion is a personal matter, while the nation belongs to everyone, and this land of the country is, in essence, a shared heritage for all.

However, some of the thinkers perceive this notion of Punyabhumi as a symbol of Hindu religious fundamentalism and argue that this concept influences the beliefs of other faiths.

In this article, we will explore how the concept of Punyabhumi and how it serves as a thread that binds national unity, whether it be geographical, cultural, or social. We will also examine the some of the differing perspectives that have emerged regarding the interpretation of this concept of Punyabhumi, and how these views shape our understanding of it.

What is Punyabhumi? To understand this, we need to look at the term more deeply . The word “Punya” has several literal meanings, such as sacred, auspicious, virtuous, and in accordance with Dharma. Meanwhile, “Bhumi” generally refers to land or earth. In the context of our article, Bhumi refers to the historical and cultural land of India—the land where Indian culture was born, flourished, and remained a unified cultural entity for thousands of years.

By understanding the inherent meaning of both words, we can say that Punyabhumi means a sacred land—a land where righteous Dharma was established, making it a Dharmic and sacred land. It is also the land that nourished our ancestors, our flora and fauna, and our culture, which makes it our Punyabhumi in this sense as well.

Before understanding the key characteristics of why a land is considered Punyabhumi, let us first discuss certain perspectives that have gradually become associated with this concept. Although these perspectives can be considered a part of the Punyabhumi concept, taking them as the entirety of the notion would undermine the core structure of the concept and weaken the idea of social unity. These perspectives are just fragments of the broader concept, and treating them as the whole would distort the true essence of Punyabhumi.

The first and perhaps the most problematic concept is the tendency to associate Punyabhumi with religious pilgrimage sites. This perspective argues that because sacred places like Kashi, Ayodhya, Sarnath, and Amritsar exist on Indian soil, the land becomes sacred for us. While this idea does integrate religious sites into the national heritage, we must emphasize that this approach confines the larger concept of Punyabhumi into a limited, sectarian identity.

From a rational standpoint, a time might come when people refuse to acknowledge the sanctity of a site belonging to another community’s faith. For instance, if a community’s pilgrimage site is located in central India, they might not feel compelled to defend the northern borders of the country until invaders threaten their sacred places directly.

Linking pilgrimage sites to the larger idea of Punyabhumi is acceptable to some extent, but if you solely regard India as Punyabhumi for this reason, your perspective can easily be challenged by logical arguments. If this had been the true essence of Punyabhumi, India would have fragmented long ago. The real concept of Punyabhumi goes far beyond this, encompassing the broader cultural, historical, and national significance of the land.

This concept is often extended by claiming that since your religious leaders or gurus were born here, this land becomes your Punyabhumi. However, India is a vast and diverse nation. Within the broad umbrella of a unified Indian national culture (which, according to Savarkar, is the Hindu culture), there are countless smaller categories. Many people in this country do not consider any place to be a pilgrimage site, nor do they regard any figure as their religious guru—some may even be atheists. So, would you exclude atheists from this definition? Can an atheist not be a nationalist and regard this land as Punyabhumi?

Our answer is, of course, they can. If you declare someone a patriot or anti-national based solely on their religious beliefs, you are attacking the very soul of India’s culture. If this were the prevailing notion centuries ago, figures like Mahatma Buddha would never have gained fame or recognition on this soil.

What we mean to say is that India’s land can be Punyabhumi for every individual, regardless of their association with a particular sect or religious leader. Anyone who loves the nation and respects the land can regard it as Punyabhumi. In reality, it is Indian culture that shapes our social and political life; one’s religious beliefs are personal. Therefore, Punyabhumi can transcend religious labels and remain a unifying force for all who embrace this nation.

Now, we will discuss the true, original, and unrestricted concept of Punyabhumi. We will explore what makes the land of India worthy of being considered Punyabhumi and what the key characteristics are that define this sacred relationship with the soil of our nation.

This section will delve into the essential qualities and deeper meanings behind the idea of Punyabhumi, focusing on the broader cultural, historical, and national factors that elevate India as a sacred land for all its inhabitants.

We will now discuss each characteristic of the Punyabhumi concept one by one, starting with the first aspect—our historical and geographical unity. From the towering white peaks of the Himalayas to the banks of the Sindhu River in the north, down to the vast Indian Ocean in the south, and stretching from the Western Ghats to the ancient region of Pragjyotishpur in the east, this land has remained a single unit for thousands of years due to various geographical and climatic factors. This unity wasn’t just in our eyes; even foreigners recognized the distinct identity of this land, referring to it at different times as Indica, Hind, or Indu.

This geographical unity instilled in our ancestors a deep sense of belonging. They believed that the land stretching from the Sindhu River to the Sindhu Sagar (Indian Ocean) was their own, a land they had a duty to defend from external invaders. This sentiment became a key part of their reverence for the land and their belief in its sacredness. Thus, the recognition of India as a single, unified land is a fundamental aspect of considering it Punyabhumi.

After geographical unity, the next important aspect is historical unity. Over thousands of years, living on this same land, the people of India developed a strong sense of belonging. The fact that their ancestors had lived, flourished, and carried forward their generations on this very land instilled in them a sense of responsibility. This land was not just a piece of geography, but a legacy passed down to them by their forefathers, making it their duty to protect it.

Thus, the idea of safeguarding this inheritance became intertwined with the concept of geographical unity. The sense of obligation to defend the land that had nurtured generations before them became a crucial aspect of the Punyabhumi concept. It emphasizes that protecting this land is not just a geographical concern but also an effort to preserve the rich historical legacy left by their ancestors.

There are also profound moral reasons for considering our land as sacred. This moral sentiment is deeply embedded in numerous texts within Indian culture. This land has given us birth, provided us with food, water, and other resources, offered us a place to live, and it is also our Karmabhumi (the land of our actions). Because it fulfills all these vital roles, this land becomes our Motherland.

As the Motherland, it naturally transforms into a Punyabhumi (sacred land) because, in Indian culture, the mother holds an extremely revered position. She symbolizes power, divinity, and sacrifice. Therefore, the land that nurtures us, shelters us, and supports our actions holds a sanctified place, making it not just a geographical entity but a spiritual and moral foundation for the people living on it.

Moreover, when foreign invaders continuously attacked us and began to kill our people indiscriminately, merely labeling them as “Hindustanis,” the understanding of “us” versus “the outsiders” deepened among our people. The atrocities they faced reinforced their connection to their Indian culture. These external aggressors heightened our people’s attachment to their culture and land because they saw us as one entity and targeted us collectively, prompting us to unite against them.

As a result, figures like Maharana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and Lachit Borphukan emerged as glorious heroes for all of India. Their valor and commitment to defending our land and culture have become a source of inspiration and pride for the entire nation.

The last point that Is, India is home to numerous religions, such as Vedic, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist, each providing their followers with a sense of reverence for this land as a “Punyabhumi.” However, this sentiment is primarily applicable to Indian religions, and these religious beliefs do not play a significant role in the concept of “Punyabhumi,” as discussed earlier. The essence of this concept transcends religious boundaries, emphasizing a collective identity that binds all Indians to their homeland, irrespective of their individual faiths.

Continuing from the discussion on the concept of Punyabhumi, it becomes evident that recognizing this land as sacred transcends the confines of any single faith; rather, it embodies the essence of Indian culture. Our culture teaches us that if someone gives selflessly, they are to be revered as a deity. Thus, this land of India, which provides for us without any selfish motives—nurturing us like a mother, bestowing upon us the Karmabhu (land of our actions), and passing down the legacy of our ancestors—emerges as a figure of utmost reverence, akin to the sacred embodiment of Dharma.

This Punyabhumi belongs to all who recognize the sacredness of this land through the characteristics mentioned above, as this defines Indian identity and nationalism. Regardless of your caste, religion, language, or state, if you approach this land with gratitude, humility, and regard it as your mother, acknowledging it as Punyabhumi, you are, before identifying as Vedic, Muslim, or Christian, fundamentally a nationalist Indian. You should take pride in your nationality.

The core concept of Punyabhumi has inspired our people for thousands of years to protect and revere this land. It is this idea of Punyabhumi that transforms our ordinary, peace-loving citizens into embodiments of valor, such as the lion-hearted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the resilient Ahilyabai Holkar, and the brave Rani Karnavati. Our brave soldiers today carry this notion in their hearts as they traverse the blazing sands of Jaisalmer to the freezing snows of Siachen, crossing the thresholds of life and death to defend our land and our nation.

To honor this Punyabhumi and its sacred culture, Rajput queens sacrificed themselves in blazing fires, and Lachit Borphukan fought against the Mlechha Mughals even in the face of death, ultimately defeating them.