Hin: आगर āgar ‘Agar’s (Town)’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP). The Bhil chief Agaria Bhil founded the town in the 10th century. It came under the control of Jhak Rajputs in the following century. The town is situated between two lakes: Moti...
Hin: अलीराजपुर alīrājapūr. ‘Anand’s Town’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP). From Anandaoli/Ali and Rajpur [Skt/Hin: raj, ‘king’; and pur, ‘(fortified) town’, city]. Rajpur was founded in 1500. The capital of the princely...
Hin: आम्बेडकर नगर āmbēḍakara nagar, महू mahū ‘Ambedkar Town’ [Mhow-gaon, Mow] Cantonment Town, Madhya Pradesh From B. R. Ambedkar and Skt: nagar, ‘town’, ‘city’; Hin: mahuā, ‘mahua/mahwa tree’ and Skt/Hin: grama/gaon, ‘village’. Ambedkar Nagar is the official name...
Hin: अशोकनगर ashokanagar ‘Ashok Town’ [Pachhar] Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From (Emperor) Ashoka; and Hin: nagar, ‘city’, ‘town’. The suggestion that the name derives from an overnight visit from the famous Mauryan Emperor en route to capture Ujjain is...
Hin: असीरगढ़ asīragaṛh ‘Asa Ahir’s Fort’ Fort, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Aswatthama (Giri); or Asa Ahir; and Hin: gaṛh, ‘fort’, ‘citadel’ There is a legend that Ashwatthama, the son of the guru Drona in the Mahābhārata, used to come to the Shiva...
Hin: बाघ गुफा bāgh gupha ‘Tiger Caves’ Town/Caves, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Madhya Pradesh has traditionally been a tiger region and the caves, town and local stream all bear the name. The Bagh Caves are nine monuments cut into sandstone rock located 60km west...
Hin: बालाघाट bālāghāṭ ‘Above the Ghat’ [Burha] Town/District Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: bālā, ‘high’, ‘above’; and ghāṭ, ‘path or stairway to the river’; ‘ford or landing-place’. The Wainganga river...
Hin: बांधवगढ़ bāndhavagaṛh ‘Brother Fort’ Fort, National Park Madhya Pradesh (MP) From: Hin: bāndhava, ‘brother’, ‘kinsman’; and gaṛh, ‘fort’ Sitting on a hill 800m above the National Park is Bandhavagarh Fort. Its...
Hin: बडवानी baḍavānī ‘Banyan Forest’ [Badnagar] Town/District Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: baṛa, ‘banyan tree’; and vana ‘wood’, ‘forest’, ‘jungle’ Barwani is an ancient town and former princely state. Nearby lies Chulgiri Hill, a sacred Jain pilgrimage site. On...
Hin: बैतूल baitūla ‘No Cotton (Land)’ [Badnur] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: bē, ‘without’, ‘devoid of’; and tūlam, ‘cotton’; and bāzāra, ‘market-place’ The assumption here is that Betul and Betul Bazaar were beyond the main cotton-growing areas of...
Hin: भिण्ड bhiṇḍ ‘Bhindi (Rishi)’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: bhiṇḍa ’embanked ground (round a tank)’. The town is built around the banks of the ancient Gori Sarowar (Gori/Gauri Lake). The district is named, others say, after...
Hin: भोजपुर bhōjapur ‘Bhoja’s Town’ Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From (Raja) Bhoj; and Skt: pur, ‘(fortified) town’, ‘city’. King/Raja Bhoja of the Paramara Malwa dynasty built a temple and fort here in the 11thC and two large stone dams to block...
Hin: भोपाल bhopāl ‘Bhoj’s Dam’ [Bhojapala] – Capital/City/District, Madhya Pradesh From (King) Bhoj and Hin: pāla ’embankment (to confine water for irrigation)’, ‘dam’, ‘dike’ Bhojpal or Bhoj’s dam...
Hin: बुरहानपुर burahānapur ‘Burhan’s Town’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Burhan-ud-Din; and Skt: pur, ‘(fortified) town’. Burhanpur is on the banks of the Tapti river. Nasir Khan Faruqi, Sultan of Khandesh, founded Burhanpur...
Hin: छतरपुर chhatarapur ‘Chhatrasal’s Town’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From (Maharaja) Chhatrasal; and Skt: pur, ‘(fortified) town’, ‘city’. The town takes its name from Maharaja Chhatrasal of Panna (1671-1731).he...
Hin: छिंदवाड़ा chhindavāṛā ‘Date Place’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Hin: chhind, ‘Date palm tree’ [Phoenix sylvestris]; and vāṛā, ‘abode/place with’, ‘settlement’. This tree is known by many names: wild date palm, toddy date palm,...
Hin: चित्रकूट chitrakūṭ ‘The Hill of Many Wonders’ [Chitrakuta] – Town, Uttar Pradesh/Madhya Pradesh border. Skt: chitra, ‘wonderful, picturesque’; kūṭa, ‘peak’, ‘hill’ Chitrakoot, meaning ‘the hill of many wonders,’ is one of the most sacred sites in...
Hin: दमोह damōha ‘Two Mouths’ City/District, [Damoa, Damauyo, Damauvanagara] Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: दोमुँहा dōmum̐hā, ‘two mouths’ A fort was built here in the 14th century with only two points of entry/exit and it was nicknamed...
Hin: दमोह datiyā ‘Crooked Teeth’ City/District, [Dantavakra] Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: danta, ‘teeth’; vakra, ‘crooked’ Datia has a legendary association with King Dantavakra and the city’s name is simply a corruption of the...
Hin: देवास dēvāsa ‘Abode of God’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: devi, ‘goddess’, ‘deity’; vas(am), ‘abode’ The name Dewas is derived from the Tekti or Devi Vaishini hill in the city. The hill has a temple...
Hin: धार dhāra ‘Stream’ [Dhara Nagari] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: dhāra, ‘stream’, ‘watercourse’ The city has ancient roots with ruins of earthworks, ramparts, walls, tanks and moats dating back to the 9th...
Hin: डिंडौरी ḍiṇḍaurī ‘Pole Town’ [Dandapuri] Town/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: ḍaṇḍā ‘pole’, ‘stick; Skt: puri, ‘fort’, ‘village’. Dindori District boasts a large resident Baiga tribal population and extensive sal forests. For related place names...
‘Land of the Gonds’ Region, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Gond and Skt: वन vana, ‘forest’ The historical region also included parts of what are now Chhattisgarh (Chh), Maharashtra (Mah), and Andhra Pradesh (AP). It is named after the Gond tribe which has dominated the...
Hin: ग्वालियर gvāliyara ‘Cowherds’ Hill’ [Gopadri, Goaliar, Gwaliar, Gopachal, Gopagiri] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: गोप gopā, ‘cowherd’; and adri, ‘rock’, ‘hill’ Legends associate the name with...
Hin: हरदा haradā ‘Turmeric City’ or ‘Shiva’s City’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: हरिद्रा haridrā / ल्दी haldī, ‘turmeric’ and Skt: pur→ar, ‘fort’, ‘village’, ‘city’; or Siva...
see Narmadapuram/Hoshangabad (MP)
Hin: इन्दौर indaura ‘Indra’s City’ [Indur, Indrapur, Indreshwar] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Indra and Skt: pur, ‘fort’, ‘village’, ‘city’. The village, Indrapur, got its name from the Indreshwar...
Hin: इटारसी iṭārasī ‘Bricks and Rope’ [Intarassi] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin:ईंट īṇṭa, ‘brick;रस्सी rassī, ‘rope’. Itarsi is an important railway junction connecting routes from morth to south and east to west. It is Madhya...
Hin: जबलपुर jabalapura ‘Hill Town’ [Jubbulpore] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Ara: jabal/jebel, ‘mountain’, ‘hill’; and Skt: pur, ‘fort’, ‘village’, ‘city’. There are 12 hill stations...
Hin: खण्डवा khaṇḍavā ‘Sugarcane Forest’ [Khandavan] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin/Skt: khaṇḍa, coarse sugar (cane) and Skt: vana, ‘forest’. It is inaccurate to try to associate this name with the Naga-inhabited forest in the Mahabharata which the...
Hin: मंदसौर mandasaura ‘Dwelling-Ten Villages’ [Dasapura, Dasor] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: mandira, ‘abode’, ‘dwelling’, ‘place’’; Hin: das, ten; and Skt: pur, ‘village’, ‘settlement’. The name combines two elements: man(d) and dasapura....
Hin: मुरैना murainā ‘Peacock Grove’ [Madhuvan, Pench] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Hin: mōra, ‘peacock’; and vana→an/ain, ‘forest’, ‘wood’, ‘grove’. Morena District has, possibly, the largest...
Hin: नर्मदापुर narmadāpura ‘(River) Narmada City’ [Hoshangabad] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) The city was originally named after the 1,300 km Narmada/Narbada river which flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. The name Hoshangabad...
Hin: नरसिंहपुर narasinhapura ‘Narasimha’s City’ [Chhotra Gadarwara] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Narasimha and Skt: pur, ‘fort’, ‘village’, ‘city’. Originally called Chhotra Gadarwara [‘Little...
Hin: नीमच nīmaca ‘Miltary HQ’ [Indur, Indrapur, Indreshwar] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From North India Mounted Artillery and Cavalry Headquarters. I don’t normally go for these British-era acronyms as derivations – most cities have a...
Hin: पीथमपुर pīthamapura ‘Pillar City’ City/Industrial Area, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Indra and Skt: pīṭham, ‘seat’, ‘throne’, ‘podium’, ‘pillar’: and pur, ‘village’, ‘city’. For...
Hin: राजगढ़ rājagaṛha ‘King’s Fort’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: raj, ‘king’; and Hin: gaṛh, ‘fort’. Rajgarh is a former princely state under the British Raj, Its previous capital include Duparia, Shajapur, Dungarpur and...
Hin: रतलाम ratalāma ‘Ratan and Ram’s City’ [Ra(t)tram] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Ratan and Ram Singh Ratlam was the capital of the former princely state of Ratlam which Raja Ratan Singhji, descendant of Raja Udai Sing of Jodhpur,...
Hin: रीवा rīvā ‘Leaping River’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: rev, ‘leap’, ‘jump’ Rewa is an ancient name for the Narmada River, India’s fifth longest river. The name refers to its flow: literally the...
Hin: सागर sāgara ‘Hundred Forts’ [Saugor] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: सागरः sāgara, ‘confluence’, ‘ocean’, ‘sea’. The name is sometimes conflated with Hin: sau, ‘hundred’ and gaṛh, ‘fort’, but while there are many small forts in the area...
Hin: सारंगपुर sāraṅgapura ‘City of Sarang Singh Khichi’ City, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Sarang Singh Khichi and Skt: pur, ‘village’, ‘settlement’. Sarangpur is an ancient site with many Hindu and Jain artefacts. The town emerged as a prominent trading town...
Hin: सतना satanā ‘Satna (River)’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) Fromr the Satna or Sutna river. Legends say the river got its name from the name of and ancient rishi, Sutikshna whose ashram is at its source. It’s more likely that its name comes...
Hin: सतना sivanī ‘Seona Tree’ City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) The Seona or Sewan tree [Gudina arborea] is also known as the goomar teak, Kashmir tree, Malay beechwood, white teak, yamane, or gamhar. Its wood, sawn and cut into beams and planks, is a...
Hin: शाजापुर śājāpura ‘Shah Jahan’s City’ [Shahjahanpur] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Shah Jahan The city was founded in the 17th century and was named after Shah Jahan (lit. ‘King of the World), the Mughal Emperor (1628-58), He commissioned...
Hin: सिंगरौली siṅgaraulī ‘Village of Shringi’ [Shringavalli] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Shringi and Skt: puri→-auli, ‘village’, ‘settlement’. The orginal name Shringavalli is associated with the legendary Hindu saint, Shringi, whose exploits are recorded...
Hin: शिवपुर śivapura ‘City of Shiva’ [Sipri] City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Shiva and Skt: pur, ‘village’, ‘settlement’. Shivpuri, formerly Sipri, is an ancient town built in the dense forests of this region. Even today the market is still called Sipri...
‘Tap(t)i River’ -River Gujarat Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra The Tapti (or Tapi) is a 724 km river that flows from Multai (near Nagpur, Madhya Pradesh), through Maharashtra and Gujarat and into the Arabian Sea at Hazira (near Surat). The river is named after the goddess...
Hin: उज्जैन ujjaina ‘(City of) Victory City/District, Madhya Pradesh (MP) From Skt: ujji, ‘(to be) victorious’, ‘triumph’. Ujjain is one of the seven Mukti Sthalas (places of liberation) in Hinduism and is famous for the Mahakaleshwar...
