The civic body of Ghaziabad, India has placed the renaming of the city on the board meeting agenda for the first time. Hindu outfits have been demanding the name change, and two options, ‘Gajnagar’ and ‘Harnandi Nagar,’ are being considered. The proposal to rename Ghaziabad was tabled by a BJP councillor and has gained support. Ghaziabad mayor Sunita Dayal confirmed that requests for a name change have been received over time. The decision to rename the city will be discussed at the executive level.
The move to rename Ghaziabad comes after the renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj in 2018. Sanjay Singh, councillor of ward number 100, officially tabled the proposal, and the BJP, which holds a majority in the corporation, has adopted it. Singh proposed the names ‘Gajnagar’ and ‘Harnandi Nagar’ as replacements for Ghaziabad. He believes that Ghaziabad holds historical significance and deserves to be given a new name.
Mahant Narayan Giri, the head priest of Dudheshwar Nath temple, is leading the efforts to rename Ghaziabad. In 2022, he met with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and submitted a memorandum, suggesting the names Gajprastha, Dudheshwarath Nagar, or Harnandipuram for Ghaziabad. Giri explained that Ghaziabad, which was once part of Hastinapur, had a forested area home to elephants. He proposed the names ‘Gajpura’ or ‘Gajnagar’ due to their connection with elephants, which have historical significance in the region. The references to elephants in ancient texts and records also support his proposal.
According to the UP District Gazetteers of Meerut, there are mentions of vast forests and elephants to the north of Hastinapur in both the Mahabharata and the works of Kalidasa. Elephants are also synonymous with the word ‘Gaj.’ Harnandi Nagar, the second proposed name, refers to the Hindon river that flows through Ghaziabad.
Ghaziabad obtained its name from Ghazi-ud-din, who founded Ghaziuddinnagar in 1740 after Nadir Shah’s invasion of Delhi. The name was later shortened to Ghaziabad with the arrival of railways in 1864 by the British.
The decision to rename Ghaziabad is expected to have a significant impact on the city’s identity and history. The final decision will be made after the executive-level discussion.
