Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 236

208
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(NOVEMBER, 1931
PLACE NAMES. BY RAI BAHADUR HIRA LAL, B.A.
(Continued from page 197.) Many villages are named after the nature of the sites they occupy, for instance, Pahadia or Dungaria (hillock), Patharid (stony land) Tharpakhna (firm rock), Tikurid (raised ground), etc. This gource got much amplified when agriculture commenced and soils were classified. For instance, Kacchår, Kanhårpur, Kalimati, Lalmati, Chhuiha, Chhuikhadân, Darrabhata, Khudardand, etc., are names of villages, all connoting the peculiar soil on which they were founded. Crops also contributed their quota, such as Dhanrås, Dhanora and Dhaneld from Dhan (paddy), Nibârf, Karahni, Kakeni, Masurikhar, Arasia, Kodwa, Kudai, Gehûnras, Chaurai, Chanhia, Chanahta, etc., taking their names from wheat, gram, and a number of other cereals and their varieties. Grasses and herbs have also helped a good deal in the choice of names, e.g., Siliyari, Ankaņîh, Kenapand, Sukalakhar, Kekati, Puraina, Ajvåindih, etc., are all derived from those sources.
It is somewhat curious to note that household furniture has also been placed under contribution in this connection. We have such villages as Karahia which means a frying pan, Mathani (a churning stick), Kundo (a broad-mouthed pot), Kathotia (a wooden bowl), Ghinochi (water pot stand), Khatola or Khatolí (a cot), Tildi (an earthen frying pan), Lodha (a grind. ing pestle), Doli (a hammock-like conveyance), Jhanpi (a bamboo basket), Rāhta (spinning wheel), Bahunta (armlet), Biobhia (anklets), Jhanjh (cymbals), Loni (butter) and Dahigion from dahi, curds. With the advancement of civilization and the respect shown to gods and goddesses, names like Rampur, Ramnagar, Narayanpur, Sürajpura and Malharpur cropped up. In due course temples were constructed, which became a distinguishing feature, and this is the reason why & very large number of villages are known as Deori, Deorå, Dewal. wada, Devapur, etc., which simply connote a habitation with a temple. Below the gods stood kings, princes and prominent citizens, to whom honour was due. So a number of villages came to be named after their official or personal names, for instance, Rajadih, Rajadhår, Ramdera, Ranisagar, Ranigaon, Malkápur, Lalpur, etc. These are named after the official title Raja (king), Rani or Malika (queen), and Lal (prince). Karanpur, Adhartal, Burhanpur, Gosalapur, and Sleemanabad are examples of places having names of individual kings, queens and prominent citizens or officers from ancient to modern times. Karna was a king of the Kalachuri dynasty reigning in the eleventh century A.D. Adhar was a Kayasth minister of the famous Gond queen Durgavati, Burhan was & Musalman saint, Gosalê was a queen of a descendant of Karna, and Sleeman was a European officer appointed for the suppression of thagi and dacoity in India.
There is another source peculiar to India from which villages have derived their names, viz., the majority of the caste which inhabited it originally. The name has been preserved, although in some cases every member of that caste has disappeared from the locality. We have thus numerous Bambnis, or settlements of Brahmaņs; Jugia, the settlement of Jogis ; Gudano, the settlement of Gonds; Kachhgawă, of Kachhîs (vegetable growers); Tilagwa, of Telis (oilmen); Barhaikhoda, of Barhais or carpenters; Lohari, of Lohars or blacksmiths; Domjhar, of Doms or scavengers ; Ojhagahan, of Ojhas or Gond priests; Halbapali, of the Halba tribe ; Gandadih, of Gândas or village watchmen ; Maliqih, of Malîs or gardeners; and Gaitaguda, of Gaitas or aboriginal priests. The most interesting names, however, appear to be those which go by the reciprocal terms of relationship, for instance, Sasbahu (mother-inlaw and daughter-in-law), Mamabhañja (maternal uncle and nephew), Båpå pâtî (father and son), Jithâni-deorani (wives of elder and younger brothers), and so on.
Some villages bear opprobrious names, as Chorh& or Chorgaon, thief's village, and Thagpali, a village of thags or cheats. These were apparently imposed by others in consideration of the inhabitants' character, and superseded the original names which they may have bomne when founded. The process of supersession is, however, whimsical. The village from