TN govt junks anglicised versions of Tamil names of cities, Coimbatore is now 'Koyampuththoor'

Anglicised versions of Tamil names of 1,000 plus localities in the state, including cities and villages, are now set to precisely reflect the Tamil spelling and pronunciation of such names with the government coming up with new spellings in English. The move has been welcomed by Tamil lovers, but has also drawn flak from netizens, who questioned the need for it amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

So, the textile city of Coimbatore will henceforth be called Koyampuththoor, Vellore as Veeloor and Dindigul as Thindukkal, among others with the issuance of a Government Order. As per the order, made available to the media now and dated April 1, the names reflecting the new English spelling were picked after a high-level expert committee considered the suggestions of District Collectors who had recommended a list of anglicised names that needed a Tamil makeover.

An official said the change in English spelling for 1,018 places in Tamil Nadu was a painstaking task that stretched to about two long years. "The anglicised versions do not reflect the original Tamil names.

Englishmen could not pronounce Tamil names and they anglicised it to suit them. What is the need to have such names even now ? The fresh spellings in English will match the way the names are written and pronounced in Tamil," he said.

While several took to social media to say that the new spellings were confusing, others, especially Tamil writers, welcomed the move, saying it has brought back the real Tamil names. Many questioned the need for the exercise when the state was "struggling" to prevent spread of coronavirus while over 1,500 fresh positive cases emerged day in and day out.

The social media posts on the new English spelling for Tamil names also saw hilarious moments when some users placed the photograph of an actress alongside that of a man in a woman's attire to underscore that the old name was attractive and popular and the new one was out of place in the present day context. People also pointed out that though the spelling and pronunciation of localities/cities differed in English, it had never been an issue for the people who usually stuck to the Tamil version.

Some suggested that the spellings be made easier for the ordinary people, while others said the new names were fit for a spelling bee contest. In Coimbatore, users started an online petition to retain the old name, while other suggested that a simple 'Kovai' would do.

Tamil Culture Minister K Pandiarajan said there were some errors in respect of English spelling of quite a few places and this will be addressed. According to the GO, the present spelling 'Villupuram' will become 'Vizhuppuram' and Tiruvarur shall henceforth be Thiruvaroor.

Also, the southern port city of Tuticorin would reflect the Tamil name for the city 'Thooththukkudi.' Similarly, Pudukkottai, Dharmapuri and Ariyalur would soon be written as Puthukkottai, Tharumapuri and Ariyaloor. In Chennai, 94 localities have been given a phonetic makeover to match Tamil pronunciations and spellings and the old city areas of Egmore and Saidapet shall now be written 'Ezhumboor' and 'Saithapettai.' The name of the state capital was changed to Chennai from Madras in 1996 during the then DMK regime though the name of the city had always been referred to as Chennai in Tamil.

All anglicised versions of Tamil names of cities and villages had been in vogue for well over a century..