Gaya to Bangalore: 10 cities in India renamed in the past and why

In India, place names hold important cultural and historical value. Recently, many places have been renamed to bring back their original names that better reflect their heritage. Bihar’s decision to rename Gaya as Gaya Ji is one of the latest examples. These changes aim to restore names that existed before colonial times or match what local people have used for years. This trend is happening across the country, in big cities as well as religious towns. Here is a look at some of the main renamings and why they were made.

The historic city of Gaya in Bihar, visited by hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims every year, now has an official name that reflects the respect people already associated with it– Gaya Ji. This change, recently approved by the state government, brings the city’s official name in line with its important spiritual role in ancestral rituals.

In 2016, Gurgaon’s name was officially changed to Gurugram to highlight its mythological roots. According to ancient texts, this land was gifted to Guru Dronacharya. While the city is now known for its rapid urban growth, the new name reminds people of its historic and cultural significance.

The change from Bombay to Mumbai in 1996 aimed to acknowledge the city’s indigenous heritage. Named after Mumba Devi, a local goddess worshipped by the Koli fishing community, the new name also represented a move away from colonial-era names.

In 2001, Calcutta was officially renamed Kolkata to better reflect the Bengali pronunciation and cultural identity. This change was part of a wider effort to promote regional language and pride, especially in a city known as the intellectual center of India.

In 2014, Mysore was officially renamed Mysuru to better reflect the Kannada language and the region’s mythological heritage. The name is linked to the legend of Mahishasura and Goddess Chamundeshwari, important figures in local culture.

In 2014, the city’s name was officially changed from the anglicised Mangalore to Mangaluru. The name comes from the goddess Mangaladevi, and the change gave official recognition to the name that locals in the Kannada-speaking region have used for a long time.

Known globally for its tech industry, Bangalore was officially renamed Bengaluru in 2006. The change was made to reflect the city’s historical roots and its original Kannada name, which dates back to the 9th century.

In 1996, Madras was renamed Chennai, a name believed to be linked to the old settlement of Chennapattinam. The move brought the city’s identity in line with its Tamil heritage, as part of a broader effort to move away from British-era names.

The Union Territory’s name was changed from Pondicherry to Puducherry in 2006. Meaning “new town” in Tamil, the new name better represents the region’s language and cultural identity, while its French colonial architecture continues to add to its charm.

The name change from Orissa to Odisha was made to match how the name is actually pronounced in the local language. “Odisha” comes from an old word, “Odda Visaya,” that has been used to describe the area for a long time. The previous spelling, “Orissa,” was based on the colonial-era English version and didn’t reflect the true local pronunciation.