Brahmins, Gouds spar over naming of Neera cafe

HYDERABAD: Controversy erupted over the naming of the Neera cafe which will soon be thrown open to the public at Necklace Road when members of Brahmin associations staged a protest on Tuesday.  As talk floated that the cafe would be named Vedamrutham, the angry Brahmins staged a protest at Necklace Road and submitted their objections to the State government through the Telangana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad.

When contacted, Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud clarified that it Neeramrutham and not Vedamrutham was being considered as the name for the cafe.  “When cow urine is being called Goamrutham, why can’t Neera, a healthy drink be named Neeramrutham,” said Srinivas Goud.

The controversy over the christening of the cafe triggered a verbal fight between Brahmin associations and Jai Goud associations. While Brahmins argued that naming a kallu (toddy) shop after the Vedas was highly objectionable, Jai Goud leaders contended that Neera is non-alcoholic and even finds a mention in the Vedas.

The Goud community supporters said that all the gods have consumed ‘Suramrutham’, an alcoholic drink, from three trees — palm, coconut, and Khajur. They said that the Vedas are written on Talapatras (grass plates). Stating that whiskey is made using wheat and barley, and wine is made using grapes, they sought to know why these things were not boycotted by those who are objecting to a name with historical relevance.