In a recent election rally in the Charminar area, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a prominent BJP leader, stirred controversy by asserting that Hyderabad could be renamed as “Bhagyanagar” within just 30 minutes if the BJP secured victory in the upcoming Telangana Assembly polls on November 30. Sarma’s statement follows earlier references to Hyderabad as “Bhagyanagar” by several senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The term “Bhagyanagar” is linked to the Shri Bhagyalakshmi Temple, a small shrine located near the southeastern minaret of the historic Charminar. While the Charminar itself dates back to 1591, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has clarified that the temple in question was established after Hyderabad joined the Indian Union in 1948. The temple has become a focal point for BJP leaders to promote their Hindutva ideology in a state known for its syncretic culture.
Despite some accounts suggesting the temple is named after Bhagmati, a lover of the sultan, the ASI’s statement contradicts this, emphasizing the shrine’s post-1948 origin and its lack of historical connection to the sultan.
This is not the first instance of the BJP’s interest in renaming Hyderabad. Prime Minister Modi referred to the city as “Bhagyanagar” in February 2022 during the inauguration of the 216-foot Statue of Equality, dedicated to the 11th-century Bhakti saint Ramanujacharya.
The BJP’s push for a name change has been met with criticism, particularly from the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana. BRS spokesperson Manne Krishank emphasized the party’s commitment to retaining old names, stating, “We are not for changing any names. Who are these BJP leaders to talk about renaming our city? They are just name-changers, while we are game-changers.”
Local residents, particularly those who have lived in the vicinity of Charminar for decades, express confusion over the sudden prominence of the Bhagyalakshmi Temple in political discourse. Some elderly residents recall a small stone-like structure at the site but cannot remember the temple being present in their earlier years.
Critics accuse the BJP of leveraging the temple issue for political gains, describing it as a non-issue in the state. A younger resident, assisting in running a local eatery, voiced frustration, stating, “What can anyone do about it when they (the BJP) are in power (at the Centre)? We are just helpless people who can only watch when they try to light the fire of communalism for some votes.”
As the political temperature rises ahead of the Telangana Assembly polls, the debate over renaming Hyderabad adds a new dimension to the electoral discourse, with the BJP advocating change and the BRS standing firm on preserving the city’s historical nomenclature.
