Slogans of “Jai Abu Raj”
Thousands of people from 16 villages and 53 organisations participated in the kalash yatra under the banner of the Rajput community. These included Arna, Hatamji, Machgaon, Sanigaon, Torana, Salgaon, Shergaon, Uttaraj, Ubeda Isra, Phoola Bai Khedra, Neelkanth Mahadev Seva Samiti, Bhrigu Ashram Up Seva Samiti Achlagarh, Bhairoji Mandir Torana, Ravana Rajput Samaj, Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, Shri Akhada Hanuman Seva Samiti, and Chamatkari Veerbaba Seva Samiti. Carrying saffron flags and chanting “Jai Abu Raj,” “Jai-Jai Abu Raj,” the participants of the kalash yatra proceeded through various parts of the city before reaching the SDM’s office, where they submitted the memorandum.
Claim of circumambulation like Govardhan
The memorandum stated that the name of Abu Mountain is recorded as Abu Raj in the Skanda Purana, a sacred text. It was the site of penance for the seven sages (sapta rishis). All the tourist sites here are religious, including the Arbuda Mata Shakti Peeth, Dattatreya Bhagwan, Achaleshwar Mahadev, Vashistha Ashram, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. During the summer months, thousands of devotees circumambulate Abu Raj, similar to the circumambulation of Govardhan. This place, believed to be sacred to 330 million deities (33 koti devi-devataon), is revered by all villagers residing in the foothills, who begin their daily work after paying their respects. They demanded that the English name, Mount Abu, be changed to Abu Raj. Officials from sixteen villages and fifty-three organisations and service committees submitted a signed memorandum demanding the renaming of Mount Abu to Abu Raj.
Copies of the memorandum were also sent to the Deputy Chief Minister, Diya Kumari, the Chief Secretary, and the District Collector. The delegation included Babu Singh, Praveen Singh Parmar, Vijay Singh, Bhur Singh, Devi Singh, Narayan Singh, Parvat Singh, Mukesh Singh, Som Singh, Tarun Singh, Rajvir Singh, Mahendra Sinh, Shankar Singh, Mangal Singh, Ajit Singh, Vijay Singh Bhati, and Inder Singh, along with thousands of women, men, youth, and children.
