How Gurgaon Got Its Name

- April 1, 2020

Do you know how the city of Gurgaon in Haryana got its name?

Legend says that King Dhritarashtra gifted the region of modern-day Gurugram to Dronacharya. It was a token of the king’s gratitude to the respected teacher for taking on the task of training the Kuru princes in the art of warfare. Dronacharya opened his school in the village, eventually settling here. Thus, the place was called ‘guru ka gaon’ meaning the teacher’s village. Over time, the name got shortened to Gurgaon, and in 2016, it was officially renamed Gurugram by the Haryana government. 

As per one story, the city of Gurgaon was the region gifted by King Dhritarashtra to Drona for agreeing to become the princes’ teacher.

Another legend attributes the gifting to the Pandavas and not their uncle, the region serving as their gurudakshina to their teacher. The Dronacharya tank still stands in the city today, a water reservoir that is no longer in use. It is believed to be the same tank where the Pandavas and the Kauravas once lost their ball while playing.

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You can read the full story in Amar Chitra Katha’s Drona or the ACK Junior ‘Drona and the Ball Game’

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