India, Sept. 24 -- The idea of Akhand Bharat - a united subcontinent - evokes both nostalgia for a shared past and controversy over its modern-day feasibility, rooted in ancient Bharatavarsh and revived during the freedom struggle as a counter to the two-nation theory

The idea of Akhand Bharat, or "United India," is one of the most evocative and contested concepts in South Asia. Rooted in ancient history and rekindled during the anti-colonial struggle, it envisions a subcontinental nation encompassing the territories of modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Tibet, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. For some, it symbolises cultural continuity and civilisational grandeur; for others, it is a utopian dream with litt...