From where did the terms 'Bharat' and 'Hindutva' emerge?

February 27, 2001

After the evening interview, Swami came to the Ganesh portico. Noticing the school and the institute students sitting separately…

Swami : Kaiko Aisa Divide Karte? 

Prof. Anil Kumar : Swami, schoolboys came first and sat on that side, later the institute boys came and sat on this side.

Swami : This is not the correct answer. They do not have unity. They should sit together and then can unity be attained. Tomorrow, there is Navagraha Pratishtha and Ashta Devatala Pratishtha (Installation of the idols of the nine planets in Hanuman temple in Puttaparthi village). The idols were brought from Nepal. 

Prof.A.K. : Swami, the railway minister released the railway budget. They have decided to run one more train from Vizag (Visakhapatnam) to Bangalore via Puttaparthi.

Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam Railway Station

Swami : New tracks are being laid from Dharmavaram to Puttaparthi and this train will be the first to come on this new track.

Then the conversation turned towards the origin of the term Hindutva and Bharat.

Swami : The terms Hindutva and Bharat have not originated from any individual’s name.

Prof.A.K. : Swami, has it not come from Shakuntala’s son Bharat?

Goddess Saraswati

Swami : No. It came from Goddess Saraswati. This is Her birthplace. This is the place where the Vedas and the Puranas originated. Saraswati, Bhagavati, Bhudevi, Bharati, and thus the word 'Bharat' came into being.

Prof.A.K. : How did the word ‘Hindutva’ come?

River Sindhu now known as Indus

Swami : In olden days, our culture evolved around the Sindhu river (also known as River Indus, now in Pakistan). When Alexander came to India, the first syllable ‘si’ was mispronounced as ‘hi’ thus giving the term Hindu. From then on, foreigners have called us Hindus.

Swami : (To a student) Are you studying well?

Student : Yes, Swami.

Swami : I am spending much time outside. That is why the students are not studying well.

Prof.A.K. : Swami, till you came, they were studying well.

Swami : (Joking) Oh! When I come, they are closing their books. Then from tomorrow onwards, I won’t come. 

Source: Students with Sai: Conversations – Part 2 (2000-2001)