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Thursday, September 22, 2005

Bombay's Nomenclature

This is a new in-progress post on the origins of names used in the city of Bombay. Also included are alternate names for the same places. Nomenclature of a place doesnt remain static, it evolves over time (including spelling) depending on the culture and social activity of the particular era.

I'd urge people who know of more such origins of names to contribute

Agashi Bay : Angassee Bay
Agripada : Agri community
Arthur Road : British Governor of Bombay
August Kranti Maidan : Maidan from where the call to "Quit India" was given on 7 August 1942
Azad Maidan : Earlier Camp Maidan
Babulnath : Babul (Accacia) trees
Badlapur : Badlapoor
Ballard Estate : General Ballard was the first Chairman of Bombay Port Trust from 1873-1876.
Bandra : Bandora, Pandara, Bandara, Vandre, meaning land of monkeys , Bunder(meaning port)
Bhandari Street : Bhandari community
Bhatia Baug : Bhatia community
Bhayendar : Baynel. Also from the saying that this place has no "bhay" and "dar" (fear)
Bhendi Bazar : Bhendi trees (Umbrella tree)
Bhoiwada : Bhoi community
Bohra Bazaar : Bohra community
Bombay : Mumbai, Bom Bahaia or Bom Baia (means Good Bay), Godess Mumbadevi , Bombei, BomaĆ­m or Bombaim(Portugese), Mumba
Bombay Stock Exchange : Earlier known as The Native Share and Stockbrokers Association
Breach Candy : Comes from the breach or the pass between the two hills, Malabar hill and Cumballa Hill
Cadell Road : Named after Municipal Commissioner
Carmichael Road : Named after Municipal Commissioner
Carnac Road : British Governor of Bombay
Chandanwadi : Because of the sandalwood shops in the area
Charni Road : Charni means grazing. So named since cattle grazed in that area
Chinchpokli: Chinch (Tamarind) trees
Chor Bazaar : It is also said that the thieves, after committing the theft disposed off their booty here
Chowpatty : Comes from Chau-pati, the four channels of water that covered the foreshore
Churchgate : Derived from the Church's gate in the area
Colaba : Kolbhat(Koli name) , Collourias (village of the Kolis)
Cross Maidan : Since there is a cross somewhere near it
Cuffe Parade : T.W Cuffe, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation (1901-1902)
Cumballa Hill : Kambal groves
Dadar : From Marathi word dadar, which means , staircase or ladder. Since the village served as a ladder or as the place through which one reached Bombay, it was named Dadar.
Dahanu : Dannoo
Dalal Street : From the share brokers who conducted their business there
Dharavi : Dharavee
Erangle : Yourangoul
Falkland Road : British Governor of Bombay
Flora Fountain : Named after the Greek goddess Flora
Forjett Street : Bombay's superintendent of police in 1885, Charles Forjett
Fort (South Bombay) : Derives its name from the fact that the area fell within the former walled city (Bombay Castle)
Gaiwadi : Open place meant for cows.
Ghatkopar : Ghat ke oopar (meaning over the hill)
Goregaon : Gore's village, Named after politically active Gore family
Gowalia Tank : Gets its name from the cows. In the early days there was a tank and the Gowalis used to gather on its banks as their cows grazed on the nearby Cumballa Hill
Grant Road : Sir Robert Grant (1779-1838) governed Bombay from 1835 to 1838
Harvey Road : Named after Municipal Commissioner
Hornby Road : Named after Hornby Vellard , British Governor of Bombay
Hughes Road : Chairman of the Bombay Port Trust
Islam Pura : Muslim Communities
Kala Nagar : Settlement of people related to the arts.
Kalyan : Kalliannee, Kallioni
Kamatipura : From the Kamatis who came from Andhra Pradesh in the eighteenth century to work as artisans and labourers in Bombay
Khar : From Marathi word, khara, which means salty
Kumbhar Wada : Potters community
Kurla : Colorem, Coorla, Kurlem, Kurle
Lamington Road : British Governor of Bombay
Lohar Chawl : From the iron shops there
Mahalaxmi : From Mahalaxmi Temple
Mahim : Mahun, Mahikawati temple,
Malad : Mallar, Mahey
Mazagaon : Mazigaon. Also maybe from, Maza Gaon which means "my village"
Mereweather Road : Chairman of the Bombay Port Trust
Nagdevi and Nagpada : From old shrines of serpents
Naigaum : Locality where Bhimdev had his court of justice, i.e Nyaya gram
Nariman Point : K.F. Nariman, president of the Bombay Provincial Congress Committee and former mayor of Bombay
Nepean Sea Road : Sir Ernest Nepean , British Governor of Bombay
Null Bazaar: Got its name from the main drain of the city that used to flow along this course to join the sea at Worli
Panvel : Panwell
Parel : Parali Vaijanath Mahadev temple. Also from Paral trees
Peddar Road : Named after Municipal Commissioner
Proctor Road : Sir Henry Proctor, the Chairman of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce.
Pydhoni : Washing feet, "Paya" means feet. "dhoni" means washing.
Reay Road : British Governor of Bombay
Salsette : Salcett, meaning sixty-six villages , Shashasti
Sandhurst Road : Lord Sandhurst governed Bombay between 1895 and 1900
Santacruz : Meaning "Holy Cross" , which was somewhere at the site of the current railway station.
Sion : Seo, Shiva, which means boundary or limit, Sheev, Shiv. Also from the Marathi word 'Sima' or boundary, as Sion village marked the boundary between Bombay and Salsette
Tardeo : From the Tad palm (Tadgoda) trees in the area
Thane : Derived from Sthan or Sthanaka, the capital of the Konkan kings, Thana, Shreesthanak, Aparant, Kalabe De Tana (Portugese), Tanna
Vasai : Bassein, Bacaim
Versova : Versovah
Vidyavihar : Means the garden of education, from the KJS educational campus in the area
Vile Parle : Parle, Parla, Idlai - Padlai
Warden Road : Named after the former Chief Secretary to Bombay (1823-1828), F. Warden
Wodehouse Road : British Governor of Bombay
Worli : Woorlee, Wad trees


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