The pronunciation of Indian names was seen as too difficult for the English tongue. They were Anglicized to help with communications and administration within India. They found its way to the administration records and remained for more than two centuries up until Indian independence. Since Indian government is mostly a “carry forward” of the British administration, the Anglicized names prevailed well into the 90’s.
::HISTORY::
The Indian west coast, more importantly the Malabar Coast, already had trade relations with the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians. These occupations were never looked upon with a colonization view point. The Greeks had their own version of Indian place names which they only used for their own purposes. As the empires felled, Kerala’s trade relation with Europe was reduced to a mere gift exchange venue and most port cities eventually declined and forgotten with time. Some coastal cities like Calicut continued trading with East Africa and later, with the Arabs (which explains why the city had an Arabic name- Qaliqut)
As the law of entropy dictates, chaos only increases with time. Things took a disastrous turn when Vasco da Gama rediscovered the trade route to India in 1498. His subsequent Indian armadas, unfriendly relations with Zamorins, militaristic approach and subsequent colonization of the city of Kochi (the first of its kind in India) laid its foundation of hatred at Europeans for Indians.
Later the Dutch, French and the British followed suit, attracted by the lingering aroma of Indian spices and conflicts within India.
::HISTORY::
The Indian west coast, more importantly the Malabar Coast, already had trade relations with the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians. These occupations were never looked upon with a colonization view point. The Greeks had their own version of Indian place names which they only used for their own purposes. As the empires felled, Kerala’s trade relation with Europe was reduced to a mere gift exchange venue and most port cities eventually declined and forgotten with time. Some coastal cities like Calicut continued trading with East Africa and later, with the Arabs (which explains why the city had an Arabic name- Qaliqut)
As the law of entropy dictates, chaos only increases with time. Things took a disastrous turn when Vasco da Gama rediscovered the trade route to India in 1498. His subsequent Indian armadas, unfriendly relations with Zamorins, militaristic approach and subsequent colonization of the city of Kochi (the first of its kind in India) laid its foundation of hatred at Europeans for Indians.
Later the Dutch, French and the British followed suit, attracted by the lingering aroma of Indian spices and conflicts within India.
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