Avadi - Armoured Vehicles and Ammunition Depot of India
Adyar - Banks of Adaiyaaru
Ambattur - Aimbathi ondram oor (51st Region) in the list of 108 Shakti temples
Amjikarai aka Amaindhakarai - Bank of Cooum
Anna Nagar - After Annadurai and was developed during his reign by TNHB.
Ashok Nagar - After the famous Ashoka Pillar.
Ayanavaram - Ayan means "The one", accounting to a shiva temple situated in the area.
Besant Nagar - After Annie Besant.
Chetpet - Named after a Chetty Zameen who ruled here.
Chindadripet - Chinna Thari Pettai, due to the weavers population in the locality has evolved its name into its present form.
Chromepet - After the old Chrome factory.
Egmore - The land of the rising sun. (Anglicized from Ezhumboor) Higher Mean sea level than the other places in Old Madras. There is a Shiva temple here commemorating the same fact.
Guindy - After the Guindy (Rammer) which Bringi Maharishi planted in this place to begin a great Yaha (Sacrifice) against Goddess Parvati.
Kodambakkam - After Karkodagan, the mythical snake which worshipped Shiva, who has a temple here as well.
Kothavalchavadi- Tax collectors are known as Kothaval. Chavadi is the tamil term for Kiosk/ Booth. This was the frontiers of the old city where taxes were levied.
Koyambedu - After the Ashwa medha yagam done by Lord Rama, his sons Luv and Kush tied the horse in Koyambedu. Koyam means horse in Sanskrit.
KK Nagar - After Kalaignar Karunanidhi and was developed during his reign
Mambalam - Maha Vilva Trees.
Mandhaveli - Mandhai means herd and Veli means space. Must have been herd land previously.
Mylapore - Mayil means peacock.The goddess Parvati is said to worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of a peacock here, to get absolved of a sin. So, Mayilapuram (puram meaning city) - became Mylapore
Nandhanam - Previously Gambier's gardens, was renamed by Rajaji as a part of creating Greener Chennai.
Nandhanam means Garden.
Nanganallur - Nangai Nallur/ Thillai Ganga Nagar, coined by Kanchi Shankaracharya
Parrys - Named after a merchant Thomas Parrys who established it as a trade center.
Perambur - After Pirambu trees in the locality
Pondy Bazaar - After Soundarapandian.
Poonamalee - Poo Irundha Alli, abundance of Jasmine.
Porur - Por means war. Believed to be a battlefield since ancient times. Contains the Arcot road which connects the Arcot Nawab with the capital. Home to a chola temple, etc.
Purasaiwakkam - Due to the Purasai trees
Saidapet - Named after Sayyid Shah
Sowkarpet- after the Sahukars who settled there.
Sunguvar Chattram - Again, Sungam means tax. Chattram is a Inn/ Resting Spot. This is presumably the other end of the city to attract taxes.
Teynampet - Due to abundance of the Coconut trees in the region
T.Nagar - After Sir Thyagaraya
Thiruvanmiyur - Named after Valmiki
Thirisoolam - Home to Thirisoolanathar temple on the hill.
Tondiarpet - Coined by Masthan Sahib after his birthplace Thondi.
Thousand Lights - Derives its name from the thousand lights that were lit when an Indian National Congress Annual Session was held for the first time in Madras
Triplicane - Thiru Alli Keni, Pond with the Alli flowers: Parthasarathy temple tank.
Vadapalani - Palani in the North, after the famous Murugan temple
Vandalur - Derives its name from Vandal, which is the sediments from a river.
Villivakkam - Real name - Vilvaaranyam. A very old Shiva temple is situated here. Built by sage Agasthiyar. A lot of Vilvam trees were found there. Hence it got the name Vilva Aaranyam. As days pass by the name got changed into Villivakkam.
Purushothaman Ramachandran
Cool post anna...
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