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Harijan

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Harijan

'Harijan' (Hindustani: हरिजन , ہریجن ; translation: "person of Hari/Vishnu") is a term popularized by Indian revolutionary leader Mahatma Gandhi for referring to Dalits, traditionally considered to be Untouchable. However the euphemism is now regarded as condescending by many, with some Dalit activists calling it insulting. As a result, the Government of India and several state governments forbid or discourage its use for official purposes.

Though Gandhi popularized the term harijan, it was coined by the Gujarati poet-saint Narasimha Mehta. According to other source the medieval devotional poet Gangasati used the term to refer to herself during the Bhakti movement, a period in India that gave greater status and voice to women while challenging the legitimacy of caste. Gangasati lived around the 12th-14th centuries and wrote in the Gujarati language.

Harijan, Mohandas Gandhi's publication

Gandhi started publishing a weekly journal of the same name on 11 February 1932 from Yerwada Jail during British rule. He created three publications: Harijan in English (from 1933 to 1948), Harijan Bandu in Gujarati, and Harijan Sevak in Hindi. These newspapers found Gandhi concentrating on social and economic problems, much as his earlier English newspaper, Young India, had done from 1919 to 1932.

References

Harijan Wikipedia