Delhi To Indraprastha? BJP MP Seeks Renaming Of National Capital, Cites Mahabharat-Era Links

Last Updated:February 25, 2026, 12:10 IST

Praveen Khandelwal, BJP MP from Chandni Chowk, urges Union Home Minister Amit Shah to rename Delhi as Indraprastha.

Praveen Khandelwal, BJP MP from Chandni Chowk, has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Indian government to initiate a formal process to rename Delhi as “Indraprastha".

In his letter to Shah, Khandelwal expressed confidence that restoring the name “Indraprastha" would reconnect the capital 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".

The BJP leader acknowledged that the government has already taken steps to restore historically authentic names of cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Prayagraj.

“Renaming Delhi as Indraprastha would be a historic step towards restoring the civilisational identity of India’s capital", Khandelwal argued, adding it would strengthen the national pride; at the same time, highlight India’s ancient heritage.

“Such a step would not only correct a historical disconnect but would also reaffirm India’s commitment to honouring and preserving the legacy of its great civilisation", wrote the BJP MP.

MAHABHARAT-ERA LINKS?

In his letter to the Home Ministry, Praveen Khandelwal pointed to archaeological findings at Purana Qila, where excavations have revealed Painted Grey Ware pottery and settlement layers dating back to around 1000 BCE, associated with the Mahabharat-era.

According to the MP, such discoveries back the long-standing belief that Indraprastha once stood at the site of present-day Delhi.

Calling the proposal a “landmark initiative," he appealed to the Home Ministry to initiate consultations with historians, archaeologists and other stakeholders to study the feasibility of the change.

KERALA TO KERALAM 

The proposal comes just a day after the Union Cabinet approved the renaming of Kerala as ‘Keralam’ — a demand that had been raised twice by the Kerala assembly, which passed resolutions in 2023 and 2024, urging the union government to bring changes in the Constitution to formalise the change.

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