What Was Maharashtra Called Before 1960? A Look Into Its Historic Identity
What Was Maharashtra Called Before 1960? A Look Into Its Historic Identity
Ever wondered what Maharashtra was called before it got its name? The state we now call Maharashtra was not always known by this name. Before 1960, it was part of a larger region called Bombay State. Over time, the area went through many changes, political decisions, language movements, and boundary shifts. These changes shaped the state and gave it the name Maharashtra, with Mumbai as its capital
Let’s look back at what Maharashtra was once called, how it was shaped, and the moments that led to its present name.
The Early Days of Bombay State
After India became independent in 1947, the Bombay Presidency became a part of the country. Sindh, which was earlier included, went to Pakistan. The rest of the Bombay region was reorganised and became known as Bombay State. It included different areas like Kolhapur and Baroda. Later, on 1 November 1956, the States Reorganisation Act was introduced. This added more regions like Vidarbha from Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada from Hyderabad State, and Saurashtra and Kutch from Gujarat.
This new Bombay State had people who spoke many different languages. For example, Vidarbha and Marathwada had mostly Marathi-speaking people. Saurashtra and Kutch had Gujarati-speaking people. Because of this mix, the state was called ‘Maha Dwibhashi Rajya’, which means ‘the great bilingual state’.
The Journey to Becoming Maharashtra
During this time, Bombay started growing fast. The textile industry was strong in the early years, and later handloom and power loom industries were supported as they created jobs. Bombay was also the place where Bollywood started growing quickly. After independence, the film industry got government help and became one of the biggest parts of Indian cinema.
Bombay kept expanding. Places like Bhandup, Jogeshwari, and parts of the Western and Central Railways became part of the city. In 1957, the city expanded to Dahisar and Mulund. Then in 1958, IIT Bombay was set up in Powai.
In 1955, the Congress Party wanted to make Bombay an independent city-state. But the following year, a committee suggested that Maharashtra and Gujarat be combined into one state, with Bombay as its capital. This idea was not accepted by many people.
So, on 1 May 1960, Bombay State was split. The Gujarati-speaking parts became the state of Gujarat, and the Marathi-speaking parts became the state of Maharashtra. Mumbai was made the capital of Maharashtra. Around the same time, Operation Polo was carried out to bring Hyderabad into India. As a result, districts like Nanded and Bidar, which were earlier part of Hyderabad, became part of Maharashtra.
Why Bombay Became Mumbai
Even when the city was called Bombay, many local people used the name Mumbai. This name came from the Koli community’s goddess, Mumbadevi. Later, people wanted a name that felt more connected to Indian roots, not the British past. So, Bombay was officially renamed Mumbai. This change had many political and cultural reasons behind it, and the name Mumbai slowly became common everywhere.
