'Mother' of India's Hindu groups turns 100 but critics still question its true agenda

RSS, which inspired BJP, is accused of being divisive with its 'Hindu first' ideology

- Nirmala Ganapathy India Bureau Chief

RSS swayamsevaks, or volunteers, at the "graduation" ceremony in Nagpur. Swayamsevaks are found in all fields of life, from doctors to shopkeepers. Many are inducted early from childhood. ST PHOTO: NIRMALA GANAPATHY RSS workers helping grieving families and distributing water and food at the civil hospital in Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state, in the aftermath of the Air India crash on June 12. ST PHOTO: DEBARSHI DASGUPTA

(NIRMALA GANAPATHY DEBARSHI DASGUPTA)

On a large dusty parade ground in the central Indian city of Nagpur, men in white shirts and khaki trousers lunge forward, slicing the air with lathis, or bamboo staff, in their hands, and then bowing into yoga poses.

As the sun dips on the horizon, the men of varying ages and from different parts of the country continue to carry out a series of other drills, including karate kicks and punches, as sweat pours down their faces in the humid heat.

The enthusiasm is undiminished even if the moves are not entirely coordinated among the 840 men.

These drills are part of the "graduation" ceremony of swayamsevaks, or volunteers, of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which on Oct 2 is turning 100, marking a journey that has taken it from the fringes of Indian society to its mainstream.

Called the "world's biggest NGO" by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is rooted in its traditions, the volunteer organisation follows the ideology of Hindutva, or Hinduness. The RSS is the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Its legacy triggers heated debates in India. The centenary year comes at a time when religious fault lines continue to deepen in India between those who view the country as a secular nation and those who see it as a Hindu nation one that aims to become a developed country by 2047.