As nagar community protests, researchers to rechristen spider named after poet Narsinh Mehta

He added, “Researchers named the new species after Mehta with shuddh bhavna (good intentions) and adamya bhav akin to a devotee’s towards the god. But we also have to respect people’s feelings.”

After media reports of researchers from the university christening a new spider species they discovered as Palpimanus narsinhmehtai emerged, leaders of Nagar sub-caste group of Brahmin community in Junagadh organised a meeting under the banner of Hatkeshwar Sanstha, an organisation of Nagar community, on February 12,

In the meeting, it was decided to make a representation to the BKNMU demanding to rename the newly discovered spider.

On February 12 evening, Abhilash Ghoda, an event manager based in Ahmedabad and who hails from Nagar community had also taken up the issue on Tihai Talk, a talk he organises through Facebook, where he invited Prof Trivedi and Shashin Nanavati, president of Narsinh Mehta Chora Trust (NMCT) as guests.

During the talk, Prof Trivedi had informed that BKNMU was not directly involved and that it was a “personal” research.

“So, our university can’t order as to what name has to be given… However, this is a learning lesson for us and we have directed the team to change the name if possible and from now on, give names to new species in consultation with heads of departments,” he said.

The media reports quoted Prof Jatin Raval, an assistant professor with life sciences department of BKNMU, as saying that Mehta, the 15th century poet and reformer, hailed from Junagadh hence the team named the new spider species after him.

The discovery was made by Namtra Hun, a doctoral research scholar with the life sciences department of BKNMU, Prof Raval and Dhruv Prajapati, a researcher from Ahmedabad who has studied spiders extensively.

The specimen of palp-footed spider of Palpimanus genus in Palpimanidae family of spiders was collected by Hun from Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagadh as part of her doctoral research under guidance of Prof Raval. Spiders of this genus are also known as brush-footed spiders and the BKNMU researchers had approached Prajapati for identification and detailed study of the new species which prefers shady spaces like behind barks of trees, in rock cavities etc.

The trio had jointly authored a research paper detailing their discovery and findings and their paper was published in Arthropoda Selecta, a peer-reviewed Russian journal last December.

“The specific epithet is dedicated to the great Indian poet saint, Narsinh Mehta. His belief in equality can be understood by his one of the famous poetry (sic) ‘Vaishnav jan to’, which became inspiration for Mahatma Gandhi,” the authors wrote in their paper.

After the Russian journal published the paper of BKNMU researchers, World Spider Catalogue (WSC), the global repository of information about spiders, accepted Palpimanus narsihmehtai as a new spider species.

Talking to The Indian Express, Nanavati said the researcher was apparently overcome by emotions. “She probably thought she was able to discover a new species of spider only due to blessings of Mehtaji (Narsinh Mehta). But our concern is what if one day, a spider of this species bites someone. That person will curse Mehtaji only,” said Nanavati while also conceding that Narsin Mehta’s philosophy saw various life forms as different incarnations of god.

Prof Raval said they have initiated the process of withdrawing the name. “We respect the feelings of people and are accordingly changing the name. We have already written to Arthropoda Selecta informing them that we are withdrawing the name and that we would suggest an alternate new name later on.” he said.

Prajapati said that he didn’t have any role in choosing the name for the new species.