Harda, July 19 A private veterinary college in Harda has sparked a religious and cultural controversy by naming a chicken breed "Narmada" in a recent advertisement.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the Narmada Brahmin Samaj – also known as Narmadiya Brahmins, which considers the mighty river Narmada not merely a geographical entity but a sacred goddess revered across central India.
The community has demanded immediate removal of the name from all promotional materials, calling it an affront to Sanatan Dharma and the collective faith of Narmada devotees.
Led by President Ashok Parashar, members of the Samaj submitted a formal memorandum to Joint Collector Sanjeev Kumar Nagu, stating that the name "Narmada" carries deep spiritual significance and cannot be trivialised by associating it with poultry.
The advertisement, which also listed another breed as "Sonali," was issued by a local poultry college and has since triggered widespread outrage.
Parashar warned that if corrective action is not taken, the community will be compelled to launch a protest, and the administration will bear responsibility for any escalation.
Additional Collector Satish Rai confirmed that the matter is under review and that a clarification has been sought from the college.
The institution, according to preliminary reports, claims the breed names were adopted from a poultry centre in Jabalpur, where chickens are categorised under names like Kadaknath, Narmada, and Sonali.
College director Rajeev Khare has not yet issued any statement. The controversy has also drawn attention from religious leaders.
Mahant Ravindra Puri, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, expressed sorrow over the incident, stating that educational institutions should be more mindful of cultural sensitivities.
Speaking to IANS, he emphasised that Narmada is not just a river but a divine mother figure for millions. As the administration investigates, the issue continues to stir debate over the intersection of tradition, commerce, and cultural respect.
Whether the name will be withdrawn remains uncertain, but the community’s stance is clear: sacred symbols must not be commodified. The outcome of this dispute may set a precedent for how religious sentiments are balanced against institutional practices in the region.
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