From Akbar to Parshuram: Why Jalalabad in Uttar Pradesh is being renamed now
UP Cabinet gives nod after Centre’s approval, minister cites religious significance
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Jalalabad town in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district is set to be renamed Parashurampuri, after Hindu warrior-sage Lord Parshuram. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Speaking to mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, state Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said there was a long-pending demand from the residents of Jalalabad to rename the town, citing its historical and religious significance.
Jalalabad, which was named after Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar or Akbar during the Mughal period, is considered the birthplace of Lord Parashuram – associated with the Brahmin community – and finds prominent mention in Hindu mythological accounts and scriptures.
“After the Centre conveyed to us that it has no objection to the proposal, the state government approved the proposal to rename Jalalabad as Parashurampuri,” said Khanna, who also hails from Shahjahanpur district and is an MLA from there.
“The department concerned will complete the necessary administrative and legal formalities relating to the renaming. Thereafter, the name of the town will be changed in all government records, departmental documents, and other official records in accordance with the prescribed procedure,” the minister added.
Renaming drives
During Adityanath’s tenure as CM, several places, mostly those with Mughal influence, have been officially renamed.
Last year, the CM proposed that the village of Mustafabad in Lakhimpur Kheri district be renamed ‘Kabir Dham’ as the village is home to an ashram with the same name.
The city of Allahabad was officially renamed Prayagraj in December 2018. The change was driven by the UP government’s desire to restore the city’s ancient name, which reflects its association with the confluence of sacred rivers, the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati.
In the same year, the UP cabinet also renamed the Faizabad district to Ayodhya district.
Mughalsarai town and its railway junction were also renamed to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction respectively, following approval from the Centre.
In June 2025, Adityanath had announced the renaming of the Akbarpur bus stand in Ambedkar Nagar district to ‘Shravan Dham bus stand’, pointing out that the move is a “tribute to the cultural and mythological legacy of Shravan Kumar from the Ramayana”.
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