A section of religious leaders in Haridwar has launched a campaign against “biryani”, asking roadside eateries and restaurants to replace the word with “vegetable pulao” on their menu cards. Objecting to the very word “biryani”, the religious leaders said that the term originated in Hyderabad and is not in compliance with the sanctity of the holy city.
Religious leaders in Haridwar have launched a protest against the use of the word “biryani”, asking roadside vendors and restaurants to name food items on their menus in accordance with the sanctity of the town and municipal regulations. Followers of the All India Akhara Council, Shri Akhand Parshuram Akhada (SAPA), and other sects engaged in the campaign against the use of “biryani”, trying to influence hotel, restaurant, and roadside eatery vendors by asking them to put up menus reading “veg pulao” at their shops and carts.
Claiming it to be the first stage of an anti-biryani campaign at select locations in the town, they explained the meaning of the word “biryani” to the shopkeepers. SAPA head Adhir Kaushik stated that they began the drive against the name “biryani” after receiving several complaints from the public. Adhir Kaushik said, “Biryani is a word that originated in Hyderabad. It is traditionally associated with non-vegetarian food items. At the majority of eateries and restaurants, vegetable pulao is being sold under the name “Vegetable biryani”, which is wrong. Haridwar is a renowned global pilgrimage site. It is everyone’s responsibility to maintain the religious and cultural identity of the holy town with all its dignity.”
Kaushik and other spiritual leaders, including Juna Akhada’s Swami Kartik Giri and religious narrator Pandit Pawan Krishna Shastri, appealed to the vendors, motel owners, and restaurant owners in Haridwar to change the names on their signboards and menus to better align with the religiosity of the town and its municipal rules.
Shastri clarified that the seers’ community and Sanatan followers are not against anyone earning their livelihood, but that objection was being raised over the incorrect nomenclature of the food item. Shopkeepers must write “veg pulao” instead of “veg biryani” on their menu lists. An awareness campaign regarding this had been ongoing for some time, but it failed to achieve the desired result. It was decided to take to the streets after receiving a plethora of public complaints to the spiritual leaders and gurus in order to communicate the message directly.”
Juna Akhada seer Kartik Giri said, “Although people have the right to do business, it is essential to exercise a sense of responsibility and sensitivity when naming food items in a religious city like Haridwar. Compliance with municipal norms is also necessary.”
The anti-biryani campaign was launched in Haridwar on Saturday after office-bearers of SAPA called upon Niranjani Akhada seer and All India Akhara Council president Mahant Ravindrapuri to discuss the matter and seek the latter’s guidance for the proposed campaign. During the meeting, they demanded a complete ban on the online delivery of intoxicants and non-vegetarian food in Haridwar.