Book Review: The Hindi Heartland By Ghazala Wahab

Ghazala Wahab’s The Hindi Heartland (Aleph, 2025) offers a sharp, deeply researched portrait of India’s Hindi-speaking belt—Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Despite covering 38% of India’s land and housing over 40% of its people, the region struggles with poverty, violence, and deep social divides.

Wahab blends history, politics, and culture to reveal how caste, religion, and language shape its identity, and how policies since Independence have stalled progress.

She examines temple politics, Hindi’s dominance, and the marginalisation of other voices with rare clarity and moral courage.

Though historically dense in places, the book’s insight, authenticity, and narrative flow make it a compelling and timely work—challenging stereotypes and urging a more nuanced understanding of the region’s role in India’s past and future.

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