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of Nazism” (1992)- Clarke explains that the Nazis interest in Hinduism
and other pagan beliefs wasn’t just on a symbolic level, but that they had

much work done in support of these pagan religions.
There have been some interesting characters among the Nazis who
came under the spell of neo-Aryan and neo-pagan ideologies, and end-
ed up devoting their lives to Hinduism. Another book written by
Nicholas Goodrick Clarke, “Hitler’s Priestess: Savitri Devi, The Hindu-
Arian Myth and neo-Nazism”, explains that the fanatic Nazi Savitri Devi
worked tirelessly in India to support Hitler.

Savitri was born in London in 1905 to Greek and English parents
and her given name was Maximiani Portas. She began to develop an in-
explicable admiration for the idolatrous Aryan culture as she grew old-
er, and left for India in 1932 to investigate the roots of Aryan civilization.
She took the name Savitri Devi as an ignorant admirer of Hinduism. An
article written on her irrational and illogical ideology and activities
states:

“India fascinated her — she noted now even a street-side vendor would discuss the
Mahabharat in the morning. She had great admiration for the Brahmins, who she
saw as a pure race. Her championing of Aryan-Nazi causes and Hinduism led to
her entering the political scenario in India in between the wars. By the late 1930s,
she was involved with Hindu nationalist movements like the Hindu Mahasabha
and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh - then growing rapidly to counter Muslim
ascendancy.

In early 1937, Savitri Devi met Srimat Swami Satyanand, president of the Hindu
Mission in Calcutta, and offered her service to the mission. She told Swami
Satyanand that India was the only country that honoured Aryan gods and could
stop the influence of the Jews. Satyanand, clearly impressed, told her that Hitler,
of who Savitri was a devout follower, was a supposed avatar of Vishnu — a force
that would preserve the cosmic order.” 79

Islam And Far Eastern Religions