Indraprashta se hoon, ******
(How will Virat Kohli say this on field?)
The BJP’s decision to include renaming Delhi as Indraprastha in its manifesto has sparked a heated debate across the country. While the name Indraprastha may have historical roots, we must consider the facts before we let our ancient roots decide the fate of our capital city.
In late February 2026, India witnessed a renewed debate over names of places, history and identities when a MP asked the Union Government to rename Delhi as Indraprastha. This renaming request came at a time when the Union Cabinet had approved changing the name of Kerala to “Keralam” and therefore marked the beginning of a whole new debate on the history and culture of a place.
Who Proposed the Change and Why
Member of Parliament (MP) from the Chandni Chowk constituency in New Delhi, Praveen Khandelwal suggested renaming Delhi to Indraprastha on Sunday. In his letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 25, 2026, he expressed his view that Delhi should be renamed as Indraprastha, and he had his reasons for suggesting that.
He stated that Delhi should now rediscover its long lost history and that with Kerala getting back its erstwhile name, Delhi too can have the same distinction. He also suggested carrying out a discussion with the scholars, historians and the common man with regard to renaming Delhi.
In his letter Praveen Khandelwal argued that the name Delhi relates only to the latter part of India’s city history, and that the name Indraprastha represents its earliest civilisational origins as depicted in ancient literary sources, particularly the Mahabharata. For Khandelwal, by renaming the city Indraprastha it would demonstrate the huge and grand aura farmed history that the city holds, and as the capital of India the name would connect the ancient history to the country’s culture.
He stated in his letter:
“Restoring the ancient name Indraprastha would therefore reconnect the capital of modern India with its ancient civilisational foundation. It would symbolise that the seat of the world’s largest democracy stands upon the legacy of one of humanity’s oldest cultural traditions.”
According to Khandelwal, Indraprastha in Delhi is no longer a myth or a legend but a historical fact! He has given a heap of evidence to prove that Indraprastha did exist. And, he adds, its name is already known to the people of Delhi as it is being used in various Municipal and official contexts.
But why Indraprastha? These Facts Will Make You Go 🤯
Ancient Heritage and Historical Identity
As mentioned in the ancient Hindu text of the Mahabharata, Indraprastha was the capital established by the Pandavas. Although there has been considerable debate on the location of Indraprastha among scholars and historians, majority of them hold that the Purana Qila was the site of Indraprastha, or the ancient city of Delhi.
Archaeological Findings at Purana Qila
Purana Qila, in Delhi, has been excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) since the 1950s. The discovery of remains and artefacts at this site is cited by many historians to prove that it was an ancient city that dates back to the 1100 BCE – 500 BCE period. The Painted Grey Ware (PGW) pottery samples that were unearthed from the site are comparable to those of other Iron Age excavations. The historians link these ware types to the era of the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. (Ngl, Delhi has aura farmed hard in its prime).
PGW was a type of Iron Age pottery characterized by thin walls, a grey colour and a highly fired surface, often containing geometric motifs. Thus, it is inferred that the area of Purana Qila had human habitation prior to medieval times. This Iron Age pottery has also been discovered at various other sites.
But but…a large number of historians do not agree with the view that ancient Indraprastha existed at the site of the PGW or that Indraprastha as described in the Mahabharata existed at all. According to them, although archaeological findings at the site of PGW confirm the fact that Indraprastha had been inhabited since ancient times, they do not prove that Indraprastha was as described in the ancient Sanskrit Hindu epic.
Precedents of Renaming Cities
Praveen Khandelwal told reporters that renaming the Indian capital was just like renaming other cities in the country. He said some names were changed decades ago while others were altered in recent years. (Kerala ka Keralam bhi ho hi gaya).
He referred to Mumbai (previously known as Bombay), Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta), Chennai (previously known as Madras) and the name of Prayagraj which was earlier called Allahabad. He added that Ayodhya was another such example.
He argued that renaming the countries in question would bring about historical justice and enhance national dignity.
Not only the city, but…
The name change proposal was just the tip of the iceberg (xd), as Praveen Khandelwal documents a host of cultural changes that could be advocated in tandem with the name change:
Rename Old Delhi Railway Station as “Indraprastha Junction”.
Rename Indira Gandhi International Airport as “Indraprastha Airport”.
The statues of Pandavas must be erected at appropriate locations such as Purana Qila, so that one can connect with the history of MahaBharat at the ground level.
He has called for a formal consultation with all historians, archaeologists and citizens concerned by the project and maintains that this consultation would reflect the spirit of India as the heir to the civilization.
“Sabka naam badal do” Public Reacts
The discussion began circulating on social media, where many residents expressed their views on the issue (Ngl kaafi phail gaye hum comments mein).
While some were in favour of changing the name of the capital, others were critical of bringing up the issue at this time. Like, is it really necessary? Will it solve all that is wrong and so so bizarre in Delhi?
Many residents felt that it was inappropriate to discuss the capital’s name when there were more pressing issues affecting the daily lives of citizens.
“Rename the rupee to dollar so it becomes stronger,” wrote one user.
Another commenter jokingly suggested: “Rename unemployment to ‘rozgaar’ and education to ’knowledge’.”
Residents ask if naming a city is important to local residents:
“Will Delhi become safer just because we call it Indraprastha?” was one of the many comments. Some reactions took an even more creative tone:
“Can we also change worse to best” another user requested.
Hmm, Delhi may not be ready for this naamkaran no one asked for. But, let’s see the fate of the capital as it unfolds in few days.
Broader Context and Cultural Debate
The debate on renaming Delhi has its roots in the backdrop of renaming exercises going on in the country across the board, when names that connect India’s colonial legacy and names of places in their native form are sought to be re-introduced in Indian geography.