Unveiling History: How Every Indian State Got Its Unique Name!

By Harshit
December 03, 2025

Himachal Pradesh

Derived from Sanskrit, ‘Hima’ means snow and ‘Anchal’ means mountain.

Punjab

The name combines ‘Punj’ (five) and ‘Ab’ (water), symbolizing the land of five rivers.

Uttarakhand

Created from UP in 2000, the name merges ‘Uttar’ (North) and ‘Khand’ (part) to mean Northern Mountains.

Haryana

The name traces back to the post-Mahabharata era and originates from Ābhirāyana.

Uttar Pradesh

‘Uttar’ means North and ‘Pradesh’ means Province, making UP the Northern Province of India.

Rajasthan

‘Raja’ (King) and ‘Asthan’ (Land) together form Rajasthan, the Land of Kings.

Bihar

The name comes from the Sanskrit–Pali word ‘vihāra,’ meaning ‘abode,’ commonly used for Buddhist monasteries.

Jharkhand

The name combines ‘Jhar’ (forest) and ‘Khand’ (land), meaning the Land of Forests.

Odisha

The name originates from the Prakrit phrase ‘Odda Visaya,’ cited in ancient inscriptions of Rajendra Chola I.

Manipur

In the 18th century, Gharib Nawaz named the state the ‘City of Jewels’.

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