Nationalistic fervor

At the collective level in India, nationalistic fervor of Hinduism is a powerful integrative force. Hindus believe that they are the original inhabitants of India and, therefore, it is their primary responsibility to maintain the unity and integrity of India and also to maintain and promote Indian culture. India may have become a unified political entity first time during the British rule but India as a cultural nation has existed for several millennia. From one corner to another, in whole of India there is an immense cultural similarity. For certain social and political groups in India Hinduism and Indianness are synonymous.