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New Delhi, November 1 (IANS) BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Saturday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting that the national capital Delhi be named “Indraprastha”, linking it with its ancient civilisation, historical and cultural heritage.
Khandelwal said in his letter that the heritage of Delhi is thousands of years old and represents the spirit of Indian civilization. He said the city was originally founded by the Pandavas during the Mahabharata period as Indraprastha – a symbol of rule based on dharma (righteousness), justice and moral principles.
He also requested that the Old Delhi Railway Station be renamed “Indraprastha Junction”, and the Indira Gandhi International Airport be renamed “Indraprastha Airport”. Khandelwal further proposed that grand statues of the Pandavas be installed in a prominent place in the capital to honor their role in establishing Indraprastha as the center of power and moral governance.
Copies of his letter have also been sent to Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnav, Ram Mohan Naidu, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Khandelwal stressed that renaming Delhi would restore its ancient identity and would be an act of historical justice and cultural revival.
He cited examples of other historic Indian cities like Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Ujjain and Varanasi, which have reconnected with their traditional identity. He wrote, “When other ancient cities are being restored to their original names, Delhi also deserves to regain its glorious identity as Indraprastha.”
Tracing the evolution of Delhi from Indraprastha to the modern metropolis, Khandelwal said the region has been continuously inhabited since the Mahabharata period and remained a center of trade and governance during the Maurya, Gupta, Rajput, Sultanate, Mughal and British eras.
He said the renaming of Delhi will also boost spiritual and cultural tourism, boost trade, employment and the local economy, while strengthening India’s global identity as a civilization rooted in cultural pride.
In his letter to Home Minister Shah, Khandelwal wrote: “Delhi is not only a modern capital but the living heritage of the great city of the Mahabharata era, ‘Indraprastha’, where rule based on religion and morality was first established. The time has come to restore our national capital to its real name and identity. When every other city is reconnecting with its cultural roots, Delhi too deserves to be called by its glorious name ‘Indraprastha’.”
He said, “Renaming Delhi to ‘Indraprastha’ will restore history and symbolize our civilizational pride. The name represents the ancient values of India’s religiosity, governance and culture. It will enrich national pride, inspire future generations and open new avenues for tourism, employment and economic growth.”
–IANS
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