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Gonda Name Origin: There are many interesting places in UP. The names of many of those places are also interesting. Gonda is one of them. A place that witnessed the footsteps of the Sunga dynasty and the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang. Who came close to these people for some reason or the other. Earlier the name of Gonda was not in the form in which we find it today. He has also reached here after a long journey. Local 18 reached out to researcher Dr. Shri Narayan Shukla to know the interesting story of naming of Gonda.
Gonda. Every place has its own name and that name has its own story. Many names contain complete history. The name of Gonda district of UP is also similar. Many stories and beliefs regarding the name of Gonda have been heard over the years. It is said that the ancient name of this area was “Gonard”, which changed with time and became “Gonda”. Talking to Local 18, Dr. Shri Narayan Shukla, who has done research on the history of Gonda, says that this area was a part of the ancient Ayodhya kingdom. In ancient times, this area was full of dense forests and small settlements. There was a big pasture here. It is said in folklore that there was an ancient settlement here, whose name was Gonard or Gonda. With time, there was a change in the dialect of the local people and the name changed from Gonard to Gonda. Later the same name was also recorded in government documents and historical records.
How did Gonard lie?
Dr. Shri Narayan Shukla tells that in ancient times it was also said that the pasture for the cows of the Sunga dynasty king was in the north direction of the Saryu river, that area was known as Gonard. It was called Gonard because of the grazing of cows. The cows of the king of Ayodhya also used to come to graze on this side of Saryu river. Dr. Shri Narayan Shukla tells that when Agniyuga happened, the people here started farming by burning forests and grass straws. People started tying the cows. The place where cows grow is called Adda, hence it was named Goadda.
What did Hiuen Tsang write?
When Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang came here, he named it Gauda in his book. After that it was named Gonda. In this way, first it was named Gonard, then Goadda, then Gowda and then Gonda. Even now in colloquial language people call it Gonda. This is the complete history of the name Gonda changing from Gonard.
