NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the demise of Varanasi’s ‘Dom Raja’ Jagdish Chaudhary who passed away at the age of 55 following a long illness.
Taking to twitter, PM Modi wrote in Hindi, ”Extremely saddened by the demise of Dom Raja Jagdish Chaudhary of Varanasi. He settled in the culture of Kashi and was the conductor of the Sanatan tradition there. He worked for social harmony throughout his life. May God give peace to his soul and give the family the strength to bear this suffering.”
वाराणसी के डोम राजा जगदीश चौधरी जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख पहुंचा है। वे काशी की संस्कृति में रचे-बसे थे और वहां की सनातन परंपरा के संवाहक रहे। उन्होंने जीवनपर्यंत सामाजिक समरसता के लिए काम किया। ईश्वर उनकी आत्मा को शांति प्रदान करे और परिजनों को इस पीड़ा को सहने की शक्ति दे।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 25, 2020
Chaudhary, who occupied the ritually significant position of ‘Dom Raja’ (king of cremators), was one of the proposers of the Prime Minister in the last Lok Sabha elections.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath also condoled the death of the Dom Raja and said, “The death of Dom Raja Jagdish Chaudhary is saddening. His death is a loss for the entire Indian society. I pray ‘Baba Vishvanath’ to grant you a place in his ‘Paramdham’. Om Shanti,” Adityanath tweeted.
सामाजिक समरसता की भावना के प्रतीक पुरुष, काशीवासी डोमराजा श्री जगदीश चौधरी जी का निधन अत्यंत दुःखद है।
श्री जगदीश चौधरी जी का कैलाशगमन सम्पूर्ण भारतीय समाज की एक बड़ी क्षति है।
बाबा विश्वनाथ से प्रार्थना है कि आपको अपने परमधाम में स्थान प्रदान करें।
ॐ शांति!
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 25, 2020
Dom Raja of Kashi, as the head of his Chaudhary clan, is considered the chief keeper of the fire burning uninterrupted at Varanasi’s Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats, which are reserved for cremation.
It is said to be believed that if the pyre is lit by the Dom Raja’s clan, the dead achieve salvation.
-RJV
