Jaipur, Feb 12
In a significant move to eliminate colonial symbols, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani has announced the renaming of Ajmer's 113-year-old King Edward Memorial (Rest House) to Maharishi Dayanand Vishrant Grih.
The Cooperative Department officially issued the notification on Tuesday, marking a historic change.
Speaker Devnani had previously announced this decision during the 200th birth anniversary celebrations of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, which were held in Ajmer.
With this order, the King Edward Memorial will now be known by its new name, aligning with efforts to restore cultural and historical identity.
Following Speaker Devnani's instructions, the Cooperative Department initiated the renaming process, culminating in an official order on Tuesday.
The notification states that the King Edward VII Memorial (Rest House) Society, registered on September 16, 1975, under the Rajasthan Society Registration Act, 1958, will now be recognised as the Maharishi Dayanand Rest House Institute, Ajmer.
The order was issued by the Registrar of the Cooperative Department, Rajiv Kajot.
King Edward Memorial had long been viewed as a symbol of colonial rule in Ajmer.
Speaker Devnani, committed to reclaiming the city's cultural heritage, had directed the renaming as part of broader efforts to remove remnants of historical subjugation.
This decision was announced at a recent function in Rishi Udyan, Ajmer, honouring Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati's 200th birth anniversary.
The renaming of King Edward Memorial is part of a larger initiative to restore Ajmer's original identity.
Various organisations and intellectuals had earlier approached Speaker Devnani, urging similar changes.
This has already led to the renaming of Hotel Khadim (RTDC) to Hotel Ajaymeru, which aims to strengthen the city's cultural pride.
Additionally, Speaker Devnani had announced that Foysagar Lake in Ajmer would be renamed Varun Sagar.
The King Edward VII Memorial (Rest House) Society, located near Ajmer Railway Station, was established between 1912 and 1913 to provide affordable accommodation for pilgrims visiting Ajmer and Pushkar.
It has been under the Society's management since 1975 and was officially recognised as an old monument through a State government gazette notification on September 3, 2014.
The complex spans a total area of 17,542 square yards (nearly 9 bighas). This renaming marks another milestone in Ajmer's cultural revival, reinforcing its historical and spiritual significance, said officials.
- IANS