2 SOCIAL SCIENTIST lesiastical organisation. The term Hindu Dharma itself is of relativaly recent origin. The historicity of Hinduism is a recent construction, an outcome of what Thapar calls the emergence of Syndicated Hinduism. The pre-Islamic period in India was not free from religious conflict. There were several instances of hostilities between the Saivas and the Buddhists, the Saivas and the Jainas and the Saivas and the Vaishnavas. The exercise of power and control of economic resources were integral to these conflicts. The same is true of many clashes between the Hindus and the Muslims in more recent times. In fact, these sectarian conflicts had multiple associations—religious, political and economic. Even the destruction of temples had dimensions other than religious, particularly control over resources and assertion of power. An important point of contemporary relevance in Thapar's essay is her argument about the interconnection between communal motivation and quest for power. This is true in the sectarian conflicts during the early period, the destruction of temples during the medival era and the contemporary disputes over temples and mosques. For instance, it is necessary to consider whether the destruction of temples is just an act of religious fanaticism or whether it does symbolise an act of conquest outside the battlefield and an attempt to assert the political and cultural superiority what the Spanish conquerors did in South America is an interesting parallel. They destroyed the upper portions of the Mayan and Aztec pyramids, where worship was conducted, and churches were constructed in their place. This act symoblised the assertion of temporal and spiritual power of the conquerors over the vanquished. There is another dimension of power discernible in contemporary communal motivation—an attempt to regain power by those who had lost it over a period of time. The sadhus, mahants and gosains^ who believe that they are the natural leaders of society, have lost their control over the majority community due to the process of change that had taken place in Indian society from the colonial times. They have made several unsuccessful attempts earlier to regain their position. They are now trying to regroup themselves using the platform and organisation provided by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations. Similarly the feudal elements of the erstwhile princely states, particularly of northern and central India, are making a strong bid for power which they believe legitimately belonged to them. It is not altogether accidental that the Hindu communal forces have gained considerable political influence in this region. The essays of Suranjan Das and P.K. Dutta shift the focus to the importance of studying communal riots. Given the historians' general preoccupation with communal politics, these two studies are particularly instructive. Emphasising the need to re-examine the concept of community in the light of the disunity and differentation within religious communities, Suranjan Das draws a distinction