Beyond Kerala: 8 Indian Locations That Underwent Name Transformations
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Kerala to Keralam: 8 Indian Places That Reclaimed Their Original Names
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News18•25-02-2026, 14:51
Kerala to Keralam: 8 Indian Places That Reclaimed Their Original Names
•Kerala to be renamed ‘Keralam’ following Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s proposal, returning to its historical and linguistic roots.
•Odisha officially changed from Orissa in 2011 to align with the Odia language and its Sanskrit origin, “Odra Desha.”
•Uttarakhand, formed as Uttaranchal in 2000, was renamed in 2007, honoring the Uttarakhand movement and ancient Hindu texts.
•Mumbai, formerly Bombay, was renamed in 1995 to honor local deity Mumbadevi and assert Marathi identity, moving away from colonial influence.
•Bengaluru adopted its Kannada name in 2014, believed to mean “Town of Boiled Beans,” reflecting regional linguistic pride.
•Kolkata changed from Calcutta in 2001 to match Bengali pronunciation and reflect its original cultural identity from the village of Kalikata.
•Chennai, formerly Madras, was renamed in 1996, believed to be derived from Telugu ruler Damarla Chennappa Nayak, marking a return to South Indian heritage.
•Prayagraj restored its ancient identity in 2018, changing from Allahabad, linked to the sacred Triveni Sangam and meaning “Place of Sacrifice.”
•Gurugram, formerly Gurgaon, was renamed in 2016 to honor Guru Dronacharya from the Mahabharata.