Delhi Government Aligns With Cultural Push To Rename National Capital As ‘Indraprastha’

As the debate to rename Delhi as ‘Indraprastha’ gains momentum, the Delhi government extended support to a grand cultural event at Purana Qila on Wednesday (5 November) — a site long believed to be linked to the Pandavas’ ancient capital, Indian Express reported.

This comes as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders have reiterated their long-standing demand to rename Delhi.

In a letter to Tourism and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra, the organisation’s Delhi prant secretary Surendra Kumar Gupta urged that the capital be renamed Indraprastha so that it "can be associated with its ancient history and culture".

Adding weight to the campaign, Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal has appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to rename Delhi, its airport, and Old Delhi railway station in honour of Indraprastha.

The Delhi Tourism Department, along with the Draupadi Dream Trust, organised the Purana Qila event, where Minister Kapil Mishra released the “Indraprastha Anthem” as Guest of Honour.

The ASI has conducted seven excavations at Purana Qila since 1954 to trace connections with the Mahabharata era.

In 2014, findings of Painted Grey Ware pottery — associated with that period — reignited the debate, though conclusive evidence remains elusive.

According to the IE report, the invites for Wednesday’s event sent on Mishra’s letterhead mentioned the “Inauguration of the Indraprastha Anthem”, and the commemoration of the inscription of the Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

According to the invitation, the event — described as a “special evening” — aims to "revive the spirit of the Dwapar era through music, dance, and reflection on the ideals of righteousness, sensitivity, and women’s empowerment".

"On the sacred occasion of Kartik Purnima, today the historic land of Indraprastha, Purana Qila, once again shone resplendent with its Sanatan heritage and glory. A grand launch ceremony of the Indraprastha Anthem, dedicated to the eternal identity of Indraprastha, was held On this occasion, a live presentation of the divine chapters of the Shri Krishna-Maharani Draupadi Samvad and Maharani Draupadi Katha took place," Mishra said.

"Delhi's history is replete with the glorious roots of Sanatan culture, and under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ji, our government is committed to bringing it to the forefront," he said.

"We will bring the true history of Delhi and the true culture of Delhi before the public... In collaboration with Neera Misra, through the Indraprastha Anthem, we are telling the public the true history of Purana Qila. Indraprastha was founded on the day of Kartik Purnima," he added.

Neera Misra, chairperson of the Draupadi Dream Trust, said the date holds symbolic importance — saying that "on this day almost 5,300 years ago, Pandava King Yudhishthir had taken a dip in the Yamuna and established the capital of Indraprastha, as per textual references".

Misra added that the trust has been striving for over two decades to revive Delhi’s ancient identity as Indraprastha.

Back in 2014, when the DDA proposed naming Delhi’s fourth archaeological park after Mughal ruler Humayun’s city Dinpanah, Misra opposed the move, insisting the site reflected “lost built heritage”.

Subsequently, in August 2015, the ASI recommended naming the area “Indraprastha Archaeological Park”, a proposal endorsed by the Ministry of Culture.

The designation officially took effect in 2018, marking the area as Indraprastha Archaeological Park.

Also Read: ‘Rename Delhi As Indraprastha’: Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal Writes To Amit Shah