Why Do Many Indian Cities Have ‘Pur’ In Their Names? From Nagpur To Kanpur & Jaipur

India is a country with a rich history, many cities in this largest democratic country of the world have their own ancient story and identity. There are many cities and villages in India whose names end with ‘Pur’ like Nagpur, Raipur, Janakpur, Udaipur, Jaipur, Kanpur, Rampur, Lakhanpur, Janakpur, Gorakhpur, Sitapur, Udhampur, etc.

The tradition of adding ‘pur’ to city names is an age-old custom that dates back centuries. But do you know the reason behind adding ‘pur’ to the names of the cities?

Here is the reason for having “Pur” written in the names of places

At present, there are 28 states and 8 union territories in India. In all these states and union territories, there are a total of 797 districts out of which 752 districts are in states and 45 districts are in union territories.

The different cities have their own culture, heritage, and rich history. Every city in India has a historical significance. A common suffix ‘Pur’ is commonly seen in the names of numerous cities and villages in India.

A name acts as an important identity marker, that captures the essence of a person or place. The names of these places, especially in the country, carry deep historical, cultural, and social value. They reflect the influence of rulers, cultural factors, and diversity, creating a rich basis of nomenclature.

How ‘Pur’ is added to the names

In ancient times, many kings and emperors added the suffix to their names and named their cities. For example, the city of Jaipur was built by Raja Jai Singh who added ‘pur’ to his name ‘Jai’ and named it Jaipur (Jai-Pur).

Meaning of Pur?

The word Pur is cited in the Rigveda. Pur is an ancient Sanskrit word, which means city or fort. Kings and Maharajas in bygone eras, used to have their own kingdoms in different cities. While naming their kingdoms, often included ‘pur,’ like in the case of Jaipur in Rajasthan.

The name that belonged to the person served as the prefix of the word and ‘Pur’ was added at the end of the word. This generated the name of that place.

Apart from India, ‘Pur’ is also used in Afghanistan and Iran

Some language experts acknowledge that the word Pur is also used in Arabic. This is why Pur is also used in the names of some cities in Afghanistan and Iran.

So, since ancient traditions, this suffix has served as an identity mark of cities, tracing them back to their historical, cultural, and linguistic roots. It serves as a medium to understand the unique stories and history ingrained in each location.

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