Akharas wants to ban ‘non-Sanatani’ food stalls, officials for Kumbh Mela 2025

Among other proposed measures to maintain “sanctity” of Kumbh Mela 2025 is a proposal to rename Urdu terms to Hindi in accordance with “traditions”

Published on: Oct 9, 2024, 14:11:08 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad on Wednesday proposed banning “non-Sanatanis” from setting up food stalls and renaming Urdu terms among other measures to maintain religious ‘purity’ of the 2025 Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri. (File photo) (HT)

On the proposal to ban “non-Sanatanis” from setting up food stalls, the seer's body said it will pass a resolution after Diwali and submit it to chief minister Yogi Adityanath for approval.

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The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad chief Ravindra Puri told PTI: "Recently, many incidents have come to light such as mixing of urine in juice, and spitting in food, among others. All Sanatanis will be Hindus in the Kumbh Mela… so it will not be tolerated if someone defiles things and feeds them."

The Urdu terms such as 'Shahi Snan' and ‘Peshwai’ will be renamed to Hindi terms such as 'Rajsi Snan' and ‘Chhavni Pravesh’ respectively. The body claimed that the use of Hindi terms has been a tradition that “has been going on for centuries”.

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“In a meeting held recently at Niranjani Akhara in Prayagraj, a proposal has been passed to change the names and the chief minister Yogi Adityanath has been informed about it. He may soon make a formal announcement in this regard,” Puri told news agency PTI.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced last month that Mahakal's procession in Ujjain will be called henceforth 'Rajsi Sawaari' instead of 'Shahi Sawaari'.

Other proposed measures by the Akhara also include the deployment of officials and policemen who do not consume meat or drink alcohol, so that the fair's ‘integrity’ is maintained.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kumbh Mela) Rajesh Dwivedi said Maha Kumbh is a religious festival and when the consumption and sale of meat and alcohol is prohibited in the entire fair area, the policemen, too, are expected not to consume them.

(With PTI inputs)

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