હરિજન
Gujarati
editEtymology
editહરિ (hari) + જન (jan), literally “Children of God”. Coined by Narsinh Mehta, a Gujarati Bhakti poet in the 15th century and popularized by Mahatma Gandhi as an alternative to the term Dalit.[1]
Pronunciation
edit- (Standard Gujarati) IPA(key): /ˈɦə.ɾɪ.d͡ʒən/
- Hyphenation: હ‧રિ‧જન
Noun
editહરિજન • (harijan) m
- (derogatory, now proscribed) Harijan
- (literally) devotee of Vishnu
Usage notes
editNow considered offensive to Dalits, as the term is considered patronising, ignorant, and seeking to assimilate them into Hindu nationalism.