DEHRADUN: The mythological city of Joshimath in Uttarakhand has been officially renamed as Jyotirmath.
The decision was announced by the state government after getting approval from the Centre.
Fulfilling a promise made a year ago, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced to change the official name of Joshimath tehsil in Chamoli district to its historical title, Jyotirmath.
The name change was initially proposed by local residents and several organisations during a ceremony held at Ghat in Chamoli district last year, where the decision to rename the ancient name of Jyotirmath back to it was formally announced.
The locals of the mythological city of Joshimath, gateway to Badrinath shrine, which came into the limelight after the natural disaster land submergence in early 2023, had been demanding to name Joshimath as Jyotirmath for a long time.
A spokesperson from the Chief Minister's Office stated, "Chief Minister Dhami gave due consideration to the matter and has taken the decision to alter the name. Following this announcement, the proposal was formulated and forwarded to the Government of India, which has now granted approval for the renaming of Jyotirmath Tehsil. The government's resolution has been met with approval and appreciation from the local populace."
According to the information, it is believed that Adi Guru Shankaracharya came to this area in the 8th century. He meditated under the immortal wish-fulfillment tree, 'Kalpa-vriksha', due to which he received the divine light of knowledge, through which and with the blessings of Jyotishwar Mahadev the place got its name Jyotirmath, but later it became popular as Joshimath.
After this, there was a constant demand to change the name, which was pending for a long time.
Joshimath Vyapar Mandal leader Jai Prakash Bhatt told this daily , "The government's decision to revert to the original name 'Jyotirmath' for Joshimath, in response to public sentiment, has sparked joy among the local populace."