Srinagar college renames auditorium ‘Lal Ded’ after Kashmiri Pandit objections over ‘Lalla Arifa’

October 16, 2025 by News Desk

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The Government College for Women on MA Road, Srinagar, has renamed its auditorium from “Lalla Arifa” to “Lal Ded”, following objections from members of the Kashmiri Pandit community, The Hindu reported.

The controversy arose after the college had originally named the auditorium Lalla Arifa, a title that sparked protests from Pandit groups and community leaders. They argued that the name did not accurately reflect the 14th-century mystic poetess and spiritual icon, whose historically accepted name is Lal Ded or Lalleshwari.

Kundan Kashmiri, president of the Kashmiri Pandit Conference, said the original naming “distorted the legacy of Lal Ded and misrepresented Kashmir’s cultural history.” Pandit organisations emphasized that Lal Ded is regarded as the mother of Kashmiri Shaivite philosophy and a unifying figure across the region’s diverse communities.

While some Persian and Islamic chronicles have referred to the saint as Lalla Arifa, most historical and cultural records use Lal Ded. Experts and social media users had also highlighted that using the widely recognized name would better reflect the poetess’s inclusive and syncretic legacy.

College authorities confirmed the change, saying the decision was made to respect “the sentiments of the community and the historical legacy associated with Lal Ded” and to reaffirm the institution’s commitment to inclusivity.

Lal Ded, who lived in the 14th century, remains a central figure in Kashmir’s spiritual and literary heritage, with her verses, known as vakhs, continuing to influence the region’s cultural and philosophical thought