Place names are complex entities. They are essential markers of identity, yet most susceptible to change. They are as much shaped by the past as they are by the present. They appear innocuous and yet are laden with political meanings. Place names carry the weight of memories, aspirations, history and politics, all at the same time. In this discussion with journalist and author Adrija Roychowdhury, we will delve into the complicated meanings behind naming and renaming a place.
The talk is inspired by Adrija's book, 'Delhi, in thy name: The many legends that make a city' (Rupa, 2021). In her book, she delves into the stories behind place names in the national capital. The book was a response to the spree of name changes that had taken place in the recent past. Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi, for instance, was changed to APJ Abdul Kalam Marg in 2015. Allahabad was renamed as Prayagraj in 2018, and the same year Faizabad district was turned into Ayodhya. These are just a few among several other similar cases. It is to be noted that this is hardly the first time that place names have been changed in the Indian context. Similar developments had taken place soon after Independence, when the Congress government took over the reins of a new India. They force one to ask a few simple questions: What's in a name? What makes it so powerful? What does the act of naming and renaming entail, and what does it cause?
In this lecture, Adrija will turn to several examples from India and the world of recent name changes and analyse their motives and impact. Some of these were imposed upon by those in power, for instance, the name changes that took place in Russia soon after the disintegration of USSR in 1991. Then there are other instances of renaming a place that were a product of the desires of those living there. An example is the case of a village in Bihar called Pakistan, where inhabitants have been petitioning the local government to change its name.
The lecture will conclude with a few examples of naming and renaming in New Delhi. Being the national capital, place names in Delhi have always carried meanings that go beyond the city, and speak to the larger politics of the nation.
Every story behind a name is unique and needs to be studied in its own historical and political contexts. And yet, taken together, place names have the power to frame the broad narrative of a people's history.
The talk will be moderated by Venkataraman R, Student, SIAS, Krea University
