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 Pandavas cleared this forest to make way for their capital city of Indraprastha. But the name looks the same.
Saccharum Barberi was the coarse wild sugarcane native to India.Unlike the imported varieties north Indian canes were of a ppoorer qulity and sweetness. These are the canes and grasses referred to in legend and history.
Khanwa is the birthplace of Kishore Kumar(1929-87), a playback singer, actor and musician. He is one of the best Hindi film singersof all time and has a whole string of classic hits to his name [Video: Kishore Kumar Hit Songs].
For related place names see Indian Place names and Madhya Pradesh place names.
