Place names in India

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Place names in India are usually in Indian languages. Other languages include Portuguese, Dutch, English and Arabic.

Since Indian Independence, several Indian cities have adopted pre-English names, most notably Chennai (formerly Madras), Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), Visakhapatnam (formerly Waltair), and Pune (formerly Poona).

Most place name suffixes denote after prominent geographical features, such as rivers and lakes. Others are named after personalities such as kings or historical figures. Although Hindu history was a main influence, Islamic and Christian influences are present, particularly in central and northern India.

• -abad - "city" - from Persian ābād (آباد)
• -garh - "fort, castle" - Hindi gaṛh (गढ़)
• -nagar/nagara - "town" - from Sanskrit nagara (नगर)
• -prayag, -prayaga - "confluence" - from Sanskrit prayāga (प्रयाग)
• -pore, -pur, -pura - "city" - from Sanskrit pura (पुर)
• -pattinam, -pattanam - “harbour” - from the Dravidian word for sea portal towns
• -kot, -kota - “fort” - from Proto Dravidian "*kōṭ-ai"^[1]
• -palli, -halli - "hamlet" - from Proto Dravidian "*paḷ-"^[2]
• -oor, -uru, - "village" - from Proto Dravidian "*ūr-"^[3]

Some anglicized names have been officially changed to reflect native pre-colonial spellings. The names of the cities, towns, and villages are usually in Indian languages, while most street names carry English names. Examples: Washermanpet, George Town, Chennai

Certain names have variations in different languages. Oor/Ooru is a common Dravidian name which means a place, also known as Oor in Tamil and Malayalam, whereas it is called Ooru in Telugu and Kannada.

Common suffixes include, -ooru, -palli, -pudi, -peta, etc.

Namdapha National park, Roing, Tezu, Sakteng Wildlife sanctuary, Namsai, Parsurum Kund, Bhairabkunda, Khonsa, Jairampur, Bhismaknagar, Changlang, Hawai, Nampong, Koloriang, etc.^[5]

Bodh Gaya, Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Raxaul, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Pawapuri, Sasaram, Hajipur, Bihar Sharif, Kesaria, Sonpur, Munger and Bhagalpur Division.

Raipur, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur, Durg, Kanger Ghati National Park, Bhilai, Sirpur, Ambikapur, Korba, Kawardha, Raigarh, Dongargarh, Tirarthgar, Atal Nagar, Mainpat, Indravati National Park, Ratanpur, Rajim, Chitrakoot, Rajnandgaon, Dhamtari, Kanker and Champa.

New Delhi, Gurugram, Mehrauli, Karol Bagh, Delhi, Rohini, Chanakyapuri, Sonipat, Dwarka, Vasant Kunj, Pitam Pura, Bahadurgarh, Greater Kailash, Delhi Cantonment, Shahpur Jat, Shahdara, Najafgarh, Badarpurh, Nangloi Jat, Saidul Ajaib and Bawana.

Panaji, Calangute, Palolem Beach, Anjuna, Baga, Old Goa, Candolim, Margao, Vagator, Colva, Dona Paula, Vasco Da Gama, Mandrem, Morjim, Canacona, Mapusa, Arpora, Bogmalo Beach, Benaulim, Cavelossim, Ponda, Varca, Bardez, Majorda, Mobor, Dabolim, Agonda and Mormugao.

Pangong Tso, Zanskar, Nyak Tso, Samba, Ramban, Khardong, Manikiala and Ranjit Sagar Dam Lake.

Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Purulia, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Maithon, Hazaribagh, Netarhat, Bokaro Steel City, Ghatshila, Giridih, Rajmahal, Dumka, Parasnath Hill, Rajrappa, Medininagar, Patratu, Chaibasa, Panchet, Betla, Deoghar, Sahebganj, Pakur, Kodarma and McCluskieganj, Gumla.

Common endings are Ooru, Palaya, Halli, Pete, Seeme. Less common are prefixes such as Sri.

Common suffixes include Angadi, Athani, Ur, Cheri/Shery, Kulam, Kad, Nad, Pally, Kode/Code, Kara, Mangalam, Kal, Puram, Kunnu, Parambu/Paramba and Puzha.

• Kode/Code - Kozhikode, Puthucode, Alamcode, Areekode, Veliyankode.
• Kara - Mavelikkara, Edakkara, Mullurkara, Anakkara, Ramanattukara.
• Mangalam - Kunnamangalam, Chathamangalam, Kunhimangalam, Chendamangalam, Enadimangalam,

Chadayamangalam,

• Pally - Karthikappally, Puthuppally, Kanjirappally, Vadanappally, Pulpally.
• Kal - Kottakkal, Chirakkal, Pothukal, Pulikkal, Edamulackal.
• Puram - Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, Angadipuram, Sivapuram, Kadampazhipuram.

Common suffixes include Pur, Ner, Gav, Abad, Khed, Oli, Wadi, Nagar, Tur, Vali, and Ra.

• Pur - Nagpur, Solapur, Chandrapur, Kolhapur, Badlapur, Achalpur, Ballarpur, Pandharpur, Malkapur, Indapur, Jaysinghpur, Tulijapur, Murtijapur, Shirpur, Shirampur
• Ner - Sangamner, Jamner, Parner, Amalner, Saoner
• Gav - Jalgaon, Malegaon, Khamgaon, Kopargaon, Tasgaon, Majalgaon, Shegaon, Koregaon, Varangaon, Chalisgaon
• Abad - Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Khultabad, Dharmabad, Daulatabad
• Khed - Sindkhed, Jamkhed, Mudkhed, Narkhed, Gangakhed, Umarkhed
• Oli - Gadchiroli, Hingoli, Dapoli, Saoli, Sakoli, Wagholi, Biloli, Khopoli, Padoli
• Wadi - Hinjawadi, Vaibhavwadi, Kurduwadi, Sanaswadi, Sawantwadi, Wadi, Yewalewadi, Ghulewadi, Darewadi
• Nagar - Ahmednagar, Rajgurunagar, Ulhasnagar, Urjanagar, Shivajinagar
• Tur - Latur, Patur, Partur, Jintur
• Vali - Borivali, Kandivali, Karivali
• Ra - Bhandara, Rajura, Nandura

Imphal, Loktak Lake, Moreh, Moirang, Ukrhul, Andro, Bishnupur, Shirui, Kakching, Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Thoubaul, Khangkhui, Jiribam, Leimaram, Khonghampat, Khongjom, Leimakhong, Tengnoupaul, Chandel, Kangpokpi, Senapati, Nambol, Nony, Jessami, Singda, Thanga and Khayang.

Aizawl, Lunglei, Champhai, Thenzawl, Murlen National Park, Serchhip, Murlen, Siaha, Khawzawl, Kolasib, Hmuifang, Vairengte, Hnahthial, Lawngtlai, Mamit, Saitual, Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary, Zokhawthar, Baktawng, Farkawn, Phulpui, Sialsuk, Khawnlung, Tlabung, Lengpui and Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary.

In Odisha (formerly known as Orissa) common suffixes are Pur, Garh, Gada.

In Tamil Nadu, common suffixes are Oor, Nagaram, Puram, Kudi, Cheri, Paakkam, Pattinam, Palayam, Kaadu, Pettai, Mangalam, Seemai, naththam, palli and Kuppam. One common prefix is Thiru. The majority of names are in Tamil language. Telugu and Kannada place names can be seen in border areas. Sanskrit names are found because of the historical relationship of Sanskrit with Hinduism.

Common suffix include -mura.

Common suffix include -mura.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2019)

See Indosphere, Sanskritization, Indianization of Southeast Asia.

In the Indianised cultures outside India, places were given Sanskritised names to make them sound more noble. Examples include:

• Ayutthaya in Thailand, named after Ayodhya, Rama's hometown.
• Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, named after "bhagavān", a title for gods. "Seri Begawan" was used as a title for Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III after he abdicated from the throne.
• Jayapura in Papua, Indonesia named from two Sanskrit words Jaya meaning "victorious" and Pura meaning "town". The name was given by the first president and founding father of the country, Sukarno.
• Yogyakarta in Java, Indonesia named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the hometown of Sri Rama. "Yogyakarta" means "fit to prosper".
• Siak Sri Indrapura in Sumatra, Indonesia named after the disbanded Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura. "Indrapura" means "town of Indra".
• Nakhon Si Thammarat in Thailand, from the Pali words "nagara srī dhammaraja", or "city of the lord and king who rules by dharma".
• Putrajaya in Malaysia, which means "victorious prince" or "victorious son".
• Singapura, which means "lion city" named by prince Parameswara from Palembang, South Sumatra present Indonesia

Indonesia, as a hugely Sanskrit and Indic-influenced country, contains many Sanskrit-named cities and placements:

• kota - "city", from Tamil kōṭṭam (கோட்டம், "town") — e.g. Kota Pinang, Lima Puluh Kota Regency, Kotabumi, Kotabaru, Kotamobagu, Kotawaringin, etc.
• negara - "state", from Sanskrit नगर (nagara) means "country" in Indonesian. The word Nagari is also a term used in West Sumatra referring to "village".
• pura - "town", from Sanskrit पुर (pur) — e.g. Jayapura, Siak Sri Indrapura, Amlapura, Sangkapura, Semarapura, etc. In Indonesia, pura also refers to a Hindu temple.^[7]

• kota - "city", from Tamil kōṭṭam (கோட்டம், "town")
• negeri - "state" or "country", from Sanskrit nagarī (नगरी, "city")

Rajwada

• nakhon (นคร) [ná(ʔ).kʰɔ̄ːn] - "city"
• buri (บุรี) [bū.rīː] - "town"
• samut (สมุทร) [sàmùt] - "sea"
• si (ศรี) [sǐ] - "lord"

• Renaming of cities in India
• List of Indian cities on rivers
• List of towns in India by population
• Oikonyms in Western and South Asia