Why Is It 'Pur' For North Indian Cities And 'Puram' For South Indian

Last Updated:February 25, 2026, 18:38 IST

In Sanskrit, neuter nouns often end in "am", a form that historically came to be associated with place names such as puram (city), sthanam (place) and nagaram (town)

The recent move to adopt the name “Keralam" in place of “Kerala" has renewed public interest in the linguistic and historical roots of Indian state/city names, particularly those shaped by Sanskrit grammar and tradition. Scholars say the debate has drawn attention to a long-standing pattern in which many cities and regions across India carry Sanskrit-derived suffixes that reflect older linguistic forms.

Several well-known place names, including Thiruvananthapuram, Rameshwaram and Kanchipuram, end with the suffix “am", a feature commonly associated with Sanskrit-derived words and their adaptation into southern Indian languages. Linguists note that in Sanskrit grammar, neuter nouns often end in “am", a form that historically came to be associated with place names such as puram (city), sthanam (place) and nagaram (town).

Experts explain that many ancient place names were originally constructed by combining a root word with such suffixes. For instance, pur or pura (city) could become puram, as in Kanchipuram, while sthan (place) could form sthanam. These forms were widely used in early Sanskrit literature and inscriptions across the subcontinent.

Over time, however, linguistic evolution in northern India led to shorter forms becoming common in everyday speech. As a result, names such as puram gradually evolved into pur, producing modern place names like Jaipur, Kanpur and Nagpur. In contrast, many languages, particularly Malayalam and Tamil, retained the older Sanskrit-influenced forms such as puram and nagaram.

Language scholars say the use of “Keralam" in Malayalam reflects this continuity of classical forms in the region’s linguistic tradition. Historical Sanskrit texts similarly refer to the country as “Bharatam", illustrating the widespread use of the “am" ending in classical nomenclature.

Many Indian place names are derived from references to geography, deities or historical associations, often through Sanskrit roots. Examples include Himachal, derived from him (snow), Arunachal from arun (sunrise), and Uttarakhand from uttar (north). In southern India, suffixes such as “am" continue to be used as part of the traditional structure of place names.

News india Why Is It 'Pur' For North Indian Cities And 'Puram' For South Indian

Read More