Mahasabhan.
/ˈmɑː(h)əsəˌbɑː/, /məˈhɑːsəbɑː/, U.S. /ˈmɑ(h)əsəˌbɑ/, /məˈhɑsəˌbɑ/ Indian Politics.
In full Hindu Mahasabha. (The name of) an orthodox Hindu nationalist movement.First founded c1907 in the Punjab under the name Hindu Sabha. Originally a social and cultural organization, it became a national (and increasingly political) movement from 1915.
ΚΠ
1916 Civil & Mil. Gaz. (Lahore) 28 Dec. 10/2 Had this matter been not brought into the notice of the Government and of the public by the All-India Hindu Sabha in time, there was a lot of risk of unrest after the completion of the works.]
1923 Times 21 Aug. 7/3 The important movement known as the Hindu Mahasabha, of which the Pandit Malaviya is the leading organizer, has been initiated with the object of uniting all sections of the Hindu community and ameliorating their condition, including the ‘untouchables’.
1943 R. Coupland Indian Politics 1936–42 xvii. 193 The Hindu Mahasabha was founded in 1928 as a purely cultural organisation for the conservation and purification of Hinduism; but it had now become primarily political, and in 1937 its President was Veer V. D. Savarkar, a fiery nationalist.
1975 A. L. Basham Cultural Hist. India xxvi. 379 The movement for conversion of low castes grew out of the śuddhi movement for conversion of Christians and Muslims..and gradually involved the Samāj more and more in communal agitation and in collaboration with the communal orthodoxy of the Mahāsabāh.
1989 J. M. Brown Gandhi x. 381 Dr B. S. Moonje..represented many who supported the more orthodox Hindu Mahasabha which aimed to strengthen Hindus and create a truly Hindu rather than a plural India.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1923