In a thought-provoking analysis published on November 27, 2025, renowned mythologist and author Devdutt Pattanaik has identified six key signs that indicate when someone has been culturally colonised by modern Sanatani thought. The article presents a stark contrast between India's historical celebration of diversity and what the author terms as the new homogeneity-seeking Sanatani ideology.
The Historical Context of Indian Plurality
Pattanaik begins by establishing India's rich historical identity as a civilization that fundamentally celebrated plurality. For centuries, the Indian subcontinent embraced diverse beliefs, practices, and philosophical traditions that coexisted and evolved together. This inherent acceptance of difference, according to the author, represented the true essence of Indian civilization before what he describes as the colonising influence of modern Sanatani thought began to take hold.
Six Warning Signs of Cultural Colonisation
The core of Pattanaik's argument revolves around identifying specific behavioral and ideological shifts that signal this cultural transformation. While the original article doesn't detail all six signs explicitly, the central theme emerges clearly: the rejection of India's traditional plurality in favor of a homogenized, monotheistic-like approach to Sanatani thought.
The new Sanatani ideology, as Pattanaik characterizes it, displays a distinct aversion to the very plurality that once defined Indian civilization. Instead of embracing diverse interpretations and practices, this modern manifestation seeks uniformity—a quality more commonly associated with monotheistic traditions than with India's historical spiritual landscape.
The Irony of Internal Colonisation
Pattanaik frames this ideological shift as a form of colonisation, albeit an internal one. Where external colonisers once imposed foreign values and systems, the new Sanatani thought, in his analysis, represents an internal force working to replace India's authentic pluralistic character with a manufactured homogeneity.
The article was published precisely at 06:12 AM IST on November 27, 2025, marking an important contribution to ongoing conversations about Indian cultural identity and religious evolution. Pattanaik's perspective challenges readers to examine whether modern interpretations of Sanatan Dharma truly reflect India's historical values or represent a fundamental departure from them.
This analysis comes at a time when discussions about Indian cultural identity are increasingly prominent in public discourse. By framing the issue as one of cultural colonisation, Pattanaik invites readers to critically examine the evolution of religious and cultural thought in contemporary India and its departure from historical traditions of plurality and diversity.
