Haridwar Saints Launch Campaign To Replace 'Veg Biryani' With 'Veg Pulao', Cite Religious & Culinary Concerns

Haridwar: A group of saints and members of the Shri Akhand Parshuram Akhara has launched a campaign in Haridwar demanding that vendors stop using the term "veg biryani" and instead describe the dish as "veg pulao," arguing that the word "biryani" is traditionally associated with non-vegetarian cuisine.

As part of the first phase of the campaign, activists led by Akhara president Pandit Adhir Kaushik visited food stalls near Devpura Chowk and Tulsi Chowk and pasted posters reading "Veg Pulao" over signboards displaying "Veg Biryani." They also interacted with vendors, explaining their interpretation of the word "biryani" and urging them to rename the dish on their boards.

The campaign was joined by Juna Akhara saint Swami Kartik Giri, religious preacher Pandit Pawan Krishna Shastri and several other saints and volunteers. The group appealed to shopkeepers to use names for food items that, according to them, are in keeping with Haridwar's religious character and municipal norms.

Pandit Adhir Kaushik said the organisation had been receiving repeated complaints about the use of the term "veg biryani." He claimed that "biryani" originated in Hyderabad and has long been associated with meat-based dishes, making its use for a vegetarian preparation misleading.

"Haridwar is a globally recognised pilgrimage city. Preserving its religious and cultural identity is the responsibility of everyone," he said.

Offering a culinary perspective, food expert Shachindra Sharma told The Free Press Journal that he did not wish to be drawn into the religious debate. However, he said that from a culinary standpoint, the term "biryani" has traditionally been associated with non-vegetarian preparations. "People commonly use the term 'veg biryani', but technically that is incorrect. It is, in fact, pulao," Sharma said.

However, standard dictionary definitions take a broader view of the dish. Both the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries define biryani as a South Asian rice dish prepared with meat, fish or vegetables, indicating that vegetarian biryani is a recognised culinary term.

Pandit Pawan Krishna Shastri said the saints were not opposed to anyone's livelihood or business but were only objecting to the naming of the dish. He said awareness campaigns had been carried out for a long time and, as little change was seen, the organisation decided to directly engage with vendors.

Swami Kartik Giri said traders were free to conduct business but should remain sensitive to the sentiments attached to a religious town. He also stressed the need to ensure compliance with municipal regulations.

Earlier, on June 6, office-bearers of the Akhand Parshuram Akhara met Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Shri Mahant Ravindra Puri at the Niranjani Akhara and demanded a complete ban on the online delivery of non-vegetarian food and intoxicants in Haridwar.

Pandit Kaushik said Haridwar is a centre of faith for millions of devotees and alleged that online delivery of non-vegetarian food and intoxicants undermines the sanctity of the holy city. He urged the government to take action against companies offering such services.

Shri Mahant Ravindra Puri said Sanatan Dharma is the soul of India and urged the youth to stay away from intoxicants while dedicating themselves to cow protection and service to the nation.