Tamil Nadu government has changed the names of 1,018 places throughout the state to match their Tamil pronunciation. An order to that effect was issued on 1 April but was made public only on Wednesday.
It should be noted that the announcement was made in 2018 by the Minister for Tamil Culture and Development, Mafoi K Pandiyarajan.
In a 37-page notification, the State Government added a complete list of 1,018 names of the locations, as stated in Tamil, the current English name corresponding to it, and the proposed change. Most of the places have been given a new spelling.
So, Coimbatore, an important industrial city in the south of the state, will be called Koyamputthoor. Similarly, Ambattur, known for accommodation a large industrial estate, was called Ambaththoor.
Some examples of the changes are:
- Tondiyarpet – Thandaiyaarpettai
- Purasawalkam – Purasaivaakkam
- Vepery – Vepperi
- Perambur – Peramboor
- VOC Nagar – Va.OO.Si. Nagar
- Kodungaiyur – Kodungaiyoor
- Peravallur – Peravalloor
- Siruvallur – Siruvalloor
- Konnur – Konnoor
- Koyembedu – Koyambedu
- Egmore – Ezhumboor
- Chintadripet – Chintadaripettai
- Triplicane – Thiruvallikkeni
- Mylapore – Mayilaappoor
- Thiruvanmiyur – Thiruvanmiyoor
- Mambalam – Maambalam
- Saidapet – Saithaappettai
- Ekkattuthangal – Eekkattuththaangal
- Guindy Park – Gindi Poongaa
- Thiyagaraya Nagar – Thiyaagaraaya Nagar
- Pallikaranai – Pallikkaranai
- Okkiam Thorappakkam – Okkiyam Thuraipakkam
- Sholinganallur – Solinganalloor
- Uthandi – Uththandi
- Mugalivakkam – Mugalivaakkam
- Manappakkam – Manappaakkam
- Alandur – Aalandhoor
- Meenambakkam – Meenambaakkam
- Porur – Poroor
- Nanganallur – Nangainallur
- Adambakkam – Aadhambaakkam
- Ambattur – Ambaththoor
- Thiruvottriyur – Thiruvotriyoor
- Dharmapuri – Tharumapuri
- Madavaram – Maathavaram
- Dharapuram – Tharaapuram
- Coimbatore – Koyampuththoor
- Gudalur – Koodaloor
- Puducherry – Puthucherry (A place in TN)
- Varagur – Varagoor
- Talaivasal – Thalaivasal
- Kandalur – Kaanthaloor
- Thiruverambur – Thiruverumboor
- Tuvagudi – Thuvakkudi
- Manaparai – Manapparai
- Chattrappatti – Chatthirappatti
- Pudur – Puthoor
- Uthamapalayam – Uthamapaalayam
- Vellore – Veeloor
- Pernambut – Peranaampattu
- Vatalagundu – Vaththalakundu
- Thiruvarur – Thiruvaroor
- Muthupet – Muthuppettai
- Tiruthuraipundi – Thirutthurai Poondi
- Kudavasal – Kudavaasal
- Nidamangalam – Needaamangalam
- Orathanadu – Oratthanaadu
- Kattur – Kaattoor
Although people welcomed the change, they were questioning the timing of the announcement. Many criticized the government for prioritizing the change of names during the pandemic. Many also said that while they were welcome to revert to Tamil names, their complicated English spellings didn’t help.
Twitterati’s has come up with memes and comments over the situation.
I’m glad names are changed based on our original city’s Tamil Names. I will be happy if caste system is abolished based on our original culture. #namechange
— Madan Gowri (@madan3) June 11, 2020
Instead of changing names if you remove caste system it will be so much better. 😞
— Anonymous India (@journalistboii) June 11, 2020
#NameChange pic.twitter.com/Mn7ldP08FM
Spoke to an entrepreneur in Coimbatore and this is what he said abt his city’s name being changed to #KOYAMPUTHTHOOR — “I don’t know what good it serves. We are not getting even small investments… to restart our units… How my city is called is the last thing in my mind now”
— Nidheesh M K (@mknid) June 11, 2020
So then why is it still tamil nadu and not THAMIZH NAADU?#NAMECHANGE pic.twitter.com/V9eluStTej
— manojnatarajan (@manoj_jonam14) June 11, 2020
#NAMECHANGE
— Shubham Mohapatra | शुभम महापात्रा (@SM__TWEET) June 11, 2020
After seeing the new names of cities in Tamil Nadu.
Le North Indians: pic.twitter.com/o1Y0ybZJ0Q
