bandh

English

Alternative forms

• bundh, bund

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi बंध (bandh, “closure”), from Sanskrit बन्ध (bandha). Doublet of bund (“a type of enclosure”).

Noun

bandh (plural bandhs)

1. (South Asia) A general strike, shutdown, or other form of protest used in South Asia in which a substantial portion of the population stays home and does not report to work.
   • 2007, Ornit Shanri, Communalism, Caste and Hindu Nationalism: The Violence in Gujarat:

     The impending course of events and the patterns of violence could have readily been foreseen after the incident in Godhra, and particularly after the VHP's declaration of a state-wide bandh, both by the city's residents and government authorities […]

   • 2011, Arupa Patangia Kalita, translated by Deepika Phukan, The Story of Felanee:

     A week-long bandh was in progress. People had nothing to do.

   • 2013, Purnendu Ghosh, The Rising Sun, page 26:

     Opposition parties said that the bandh was a success. The ruling parties said the opposite. Some saw government insensitivity in the bandh and the beginning of the fight against inflationary trends.

See also

• shutdown

Anagrams

• bhand