Bankura - Etymology

Etymology

In the Mahabharata, Bankura was described as Suhmobhumi. The word Larh or Rarh (in nagari: rāḍh) was introduced after 6th century A.D. It comes from the old Austric word ráŕhá or ráŕho which means “land of red soil”; it is worth noting that in ancient times "China called Ráŕh by the name of “Láti”". In Santali, lar means thread, rarh means tune and larh means snake. Perhaps the Jain and Greek scholars used this original Austric word Larh to indicate this dry forest region which was very difficult to access that time. The popularity of Manasa Puja, the worship of Snake-Goddess Manasa, proves this opinion might have some relevance. According to Nilkantha, a famous commentator of the Mahabharata, both the words Suhmo (sanskrit: suhma-bhūmi) and Rarh, are synonymous.

Scholars differs in their opinion about the etymology of the name Bankura. In the words of the Kol-Mundas, orah or rah means habitation. Many places of Rarh are named with the an added rah at the end of the name. One of the most influential God of the district Dharmathakur is called Bankura Roy. The name of the district may come from his name. Linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterjee thinks that the name came from the word Banka (zig-zag), and its word-corruption Banku, which means extremely beautiful, and he who must be worshiped. In 1979, the word “Bancoorah” was found in the map of Renal. In 1863, Gastrel referred this region as Bancoonda.