The Maharashtra government recently changed the name of Islampur to Ishwarpur. Before asking what exactly is achieved by changing names, let me tell you two short stories.
There was once a prosperous city in Europe. The Roman emperor Constantine named it Constantinople. Many of the roads from Europe to India passed through this city, which made it very wealthy. It earned great income by charging tolls from traders. Also, because many travelers stopped there to rest, people living in the city earned money by running inns, restaurants, and other services. That’s the story of Constantinople.
There was another city that had become a mess — full of corrupt and immoral rulers. The brave Turkish warriors conquered this city, removed the wicked rulers, and established their control. Even today, this city — now called Istanbul — stands as Turkey’s main cultural center and a symbol of that victory. That’s the story of Istanbul.
Friends, Constantinople and Istanbul are two names of the same city. The first story was from a European point of view, and the second from a Turkish one. That’s exactly the difference a name change can make — it reflects your cultural viewpoint.
If we want to revive Indian culture, we must replace foreign-given names with traditional Hindu names. Otherwise, we could still be calling Trimbakeshwar as “near Gulshanabad” and the temple town in Beed district as Mominabad. But it was about preserving our culture. That’s why Nana Saheb Peshwa renamed Gulshanabad to Nashik, and Congress leader Yashwantrao Chavan changed Mominabad to Ambejogai.
So instead of seeing name changes only as politics, let’s freely and proudly accept names like Dharashiv, Sambhajinagar, and now Ishwarpur.
✍️ Pratham Uvach
