Bharuch - Etymology

Etymology

Bharuch derives its name from the great sage Bhrigu. The original name of Bharuch is Bhrigukachchha (Sanskrit: भृगुकच्छ). As per Skanda Purana, Bhrigu rishi came here sitting on a tortoise. Tortoise is known as Kachchha (कच्छ) in Sanskrit. Hence the name Bhrigukachchha.

Another theory states that the city derived its name from ‘'Bhr̥gukachchha’' (Sanskrit: भृगुकच्छ, "Bhr̥gu's riverbank"), the residence of the great saint Bhrigu Rishi, which was later abridged to Bharuch. The city then became known as 'Bharukachch' and eventually Bharuch.

According to one argument, Bhrigukachchha later developed in to Bharuch (भरूच) in the local medieval vernacular - which seems quite possible according to linguistic developments in Prakrit, Apabharamsa and neo-Indian-Aryan. According to another argument, the present name Bharuch is derived form "Broach" though this unlikely as this seems to be a variant of Bharuch. In ancient India, Bharuch was an important trading port with merchants from the Arabian peninsula using this port for trading with the lucrative Indian market. In popular etymology, Broach is derived form Bar and Oach (બર્+ઓચ). Bar (બર્) means "hill" and Oach (ઓચ) means "located" - so, allegedly without any reference to historical etymology, Broach is taken to mean "located on a hill". According to this popular derivation, Broach was later transformed in to Bharuch without any reference to the rules of Indo-Aryan linguistics; for example, Indo-Aryan b- does not mutate into bh- (it doesn't the other way round either!). However, the port is surrounded by hills which can be still be seen from the old city

Bharuch has been known by various names in various eras. It was known as Bhrigukachchha (भृगुकच्छ), Bhrigupur, Bhrigutirtha, Bhrigukshetra, Bhrigukaksha as per Hindu Puranas and during BC. and early CE. eras and earlierShrinagar as an abode of the goddess Lakshmi. It was known as Barugaza to the Greek, and, later, Roman name for this port. It was known as Bharukachchha (भरूकच्छ) in the 8th to 10th century, Bharuch under Muslim rule, Bhadoch under Maratha rule and as Broach - under British rule.