ABSTRACT
This chapter compares two competing nationalist programmes of Keralite artistic practices. It focuses on the opposing views on how to define the concepts of cultural heritage and national culture, as well as the different strategies used to spread them among the population. It presents current activities and methods used by the Sangh Parivar in artistic fields to spread its Hindutva ideology to the public at large and especially to the younger generation. Such activities are mainly based on a process of Sankritisation. An analysis will then be made of the areas covered by the Kerala government's cultural policy and its strong impact on the emergence of a 'regional' nationalism. Mediated by local folklorists, this policy has acquired the approval of social equality values and has led to a social reform movement by promoting the arts. The organisation Balagokulam is contemporary to Tapasya and deals with the educational dimension of Sangh artistic activities in Kerala.
