World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 600

at a given geographical area or settlement. That is why for the study of human culture and civilisation place names contribute as an important source. Certainly, they tell the story of the past. They are quintessence of the past fossils of culture. Every place name, therefore, is a fossilised philological fact. Inner relation to be worked out
There is an inner relation between the events that occur and the places where they occur. If events have names, such as Satyagrah, treaties, movements, personalities etc. the places where they occur have also names such as Bārdolī, Vasāi, Dāndī, Porbandar respectively. It is no doubt a hard job to link inner relation between the events and the places. That is what exactly the field of onomastics and hence the importance of this discipline. Materials to be identified
In short, places, areas, features etc. are identified by name and position. Maps are essential reference material for this but access to them is difficult and tedious phenomenon. It only the name is known and not the location for which an alphabatical list or directory becomes necessary. There are thousands and thousands of place names in our variegated country ranging from villages and towns to rivers and mountains. Hence, a standard geographical name reference is needed at all levels of government and other organisations involving a variety of people from every walk of life. The need, therefore for integrated comprehensive dictionaries or gasetteers of geographical names is thus desideratum. These not only enable us for speedy and ready reference but also are complimentary to the usage of maps. A gasetteer helps to know the location and feature while geographical dictionaries present more extensive information on names, their origin, meaning and history. Neglected discipline but an important field
Though recently place names have been added to the list of sources useful for reconstruction of our ancient past, it is somehow really unfortunate that an important field, such as this, has been very much neglected. Names are the salient spectator of events taking place and tell us about the reasons behind their names, causes of their existence, changes caused during their lifespan, the time factor involved in their continuity and changes etc. Place Name Studies in our Country
This discipline, it is said, entered in our country in the 19th contury
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