Uttarakhand: Seers pitch for removal of Urdu words like 'shahi' from Hindu religious contexts

Haridwar: Seers of Haridwar on Thursday pitched for removal of Urdu words like 'shahi' used in Hindu religious contexts and suggested replacing them with their Hindi or Sanskrit substitutes.

The development comes after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, while referring to the Lord Mahakal procession in Ujjain recently, used 'Rajasi Sawari' instead of 'Shahi Sawari'.

The seers said that a meeting of the various Akharas will soon be convened here to pass a resolution seeking replacement of words like 'shahi' or 'peshwai' with their Sanskrit substitutes.

According to them, these words are symbolic of India's slavery to the Mughals.

'Shahi' is often used in the context of Kumbh congregation in which royal bath is referred to as 'Shahi Snan'.

Supporting the Madhya Pradesh CM, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad -- the highest body of saints -- said that the word 'shahi' is not in the tradition of Indian culture.

"Words like shahi and peshwai are symbols of slavery and were used by the Mughal rulers to show their pride. These words are from the Urdu language, whereas the language of ancient Indian Sanatan culture is Sanskrit from which Hindi has originated," Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri (Niranjani) said.

Words like 'rajsi' were used in ancient times for 'shahi' or royal, he said.

A meeting of the Akharas will soon be called to discuss the matter and pass a resolution for the replacement of the Urdu words used in Hindu religious contexts with Sanskrit-origin words.

The resolution will be sent to the administration of all cities where the Kumbh fair or similar religious congregations are held, Puri said.