Independence Day Special: What’s In A Name? Major Cities In India And Their Unique Sobriquets

Mumbai is called the City of Dreams, Kolkata is nicknamed as the City of Joy, Hyderabad is called the City of Nizams and Lucknow, the City of Nawabs. Cities of India have their own nicknames and they are inevitable.

Independence Day 2022: Ever wondered why Mumbai is called The City of Dreams? Or why is there a Paris and a Manchester in India? Well, that is the thing about Sobriquets, or nicknames, almost everyone and every place has one with a unique story behind its origin. Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is also called Mayanagari. This moniker has developed over the years owing to the economic wealth of the city, with many thousands of workers migrating from the countryside to the city every day to earn a living and primarily to make it big some day. Mumbai is also the seat of Bollywood, a veritable dream factory where dreams are milled by millions every day. Some are achieved, yet countless are just dreams. Yet, the city gleams fueling the imagination of people in the city.

Similarly, Kolkata has been called the City of Joy after Dominique Lapierre’s novel by the same name. The city’s unfettered enthusiasm for its culture, traditions, literature, history, food, spiritualism and politics makes it nothing less than a rollercoaster ride. Hence, the nickname.

There are many reasons why a city came to be called by its nickname, including its historical significance and geographical location. For example Udaipur is called the City of Lakes as it grew around some of the major lakes such as Pichola. Ahmedabad is known as Manchester of India for the first cotton mill, Shahpur Mill, that was set up here in and its growth in the 19th century as major textile industry unit.

Here Are Some More Sobriquets For Major Cities in India: 

The list is endless and yet the nicknames are inevitable. The joy of living in a diverse country makes way for relishing such richness in culture, traditions, history, geography and almost every aspect of life. Celebrate this Independence Day by discovering new sobriquets for your city!