હરિજન
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Gujarati[edit]
Etymology[edit]
હરિ (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]
Noun[edit]
હરિજન • (harijan) m
- (dated, derogatory) Harijan
- (literally) devotee of Vishnu
Usage notes[edit]
Now considered offensive to Dalits, as the term is considered patronising, ignorant, and seeking to assimilate them into Hindu nationalism.