Pun: ਮੋਹਾਲੀ mohālī
‘Settlement’ – City/District, Punjab
From Pun: mohālī, ‘settlement’ [possibly derived from Per/Pun: mahal/mohal, ‘palace’, ‘estate’, ‘land division’, referring to an administrative or landholding unit in Punjabi villages].
Mohali, officially known as Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS Nagar), is a modern city in Punjab, developed as an extension of Chandigarh. The name Mohali originally referred to a small village in the region, which was absorbed into the city as it expanded.
The city was renamed Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar in honour of the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, who was martyred fighting the Mughals at Chamkaur in 1705. Despite the official name, the older name Mohali is still used.
Mohali has rapidly developed into an IT and business centre, housing major tech companies and industries. It is also known for the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium, a major venue for international cricket matches.
For related place names see Indian Place names and Punjab place names.
