Bengalooru: How the name originated

Bengalooru: How the name originated
New INdian Express

BANGALORE: Today, when Karnataka is celebrating the 50th year of its unification, the debate on changing the name of Bangalore to Bengalooru has involved think tanks even in United States and other parts of the world - thanks to the IT boom in the City, once purchased for just 3 lakh pagodas by Mysore Wodeyers from Aurangzeb in 1690.

Several speculations have been made about how the name ‘Bangalore’ came about. Based on information from the Gazetteer of India, Karnataka State, Bangalore District section, the name ‘Bangalore’ is an anglicised version of ‘Bengalooru,’ a word in the local Kannada language that was given to a town. The story goes that this word was derived from the phrase benda kaalu ooru, which translates into ‘the town of boiled beans.’

It is said that King Ballala of the Hoysala dynasty lost his way in the jungle while on a hunting expedition. Tired and hungry, he encountered a poor old woman who offered him the only food she had - some boiled beans. As his gratitude to her, the king named the place benda kaalu ooru.

“However, historical evidence shows that ‘Bengalooru’ was recorded much before King Ballala’s time in a 9th century temple inscription in the village of Begur,” Historian Arun Prasad, told this website’s newspaper.

“The name Bengalooru is inscribed on a hero stone dated back to 890 AD was found Nageshwara temple premises at Beguar a flourishing village on the outskirts of Bangalore.

The legendary herostone is presently preserved at the Bangalore museum. This inscription also proves that the antiquity of Bangalore dates back to Ganga dynasty period,” he said.

‘Bengalooru’ still exists today within the city limits in Kodigehalli area and is called ‘Halebengalooru’ or old Bangalore, which can be another extension of old village during in Kempe Gowda period.

Another historical figure who shaped the city of Bangalore is a feudal lord who called himself Kempe Gowda, and who served under the Vijayanagara Kings. Hunting seemed to be a favourite past time in those days.

During one of his hunting bouts, Kempe Gowda was surprised to see a hare chase his dog. Either his dog was chicken-hearted or the hare was lion-hearted one does not know, but the episode surely made an impression on the feudal lord.

He told himself this is a place surely for heroes and heroics, and he referred to Bangalore from then onwards as gandu bhoomi (heroic place).

The British who ruled India, anglicised the name Bengalooru to Bangalore for their convenience and to exhibit their authority on the Indian cities.