Will Shimla get a new name? Himachal govt wants to call it Shyamala

Shimla, Oct 20: Days after the Uttar Pradesh government renamed the renowned town of Allahabad as 'Prayagraj', the Himachal Pradesh government is considering renaming state capital. The government is considering renaming Shimla to Shyamala, after the demand for changing the state capital's name gained momentum.

"Before the British arrived, Shimla was known as Shyamala. My government will seek public opinion on the demand for its renaming," chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on the sideline of Dussehra festivities at Jakhu temple Friday evening.

State health minister Vipin Parmar said that "there was no harm" in changing the name of Shimla, the summer capital of India under the British from 1864 to Independence, and landmarks associated with the British.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had long demanded the government change the town's name. However, in 2016, then chief minister Virbhadra Singh had rejected renaming Shimla, saying it was an internationally-famous tourist destination.