In a significant move to distance itself from colonial-era nomenclature, the state of Uttarakhand has officially renamed its Governor's residences. With immediate effect, the Raj Bhavans in Dehradun and Nainital will now be known as 'Lok Bhavan'. This decision came on Monday after the state government received approval from the Centre for its proposal.
A Directive from the Centre
The renaming is not an isolated event but part of a broader national initiative. The order was issued by the governor's secretariat in Uttarakhand, acting in line with a recent advisory from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. On November 25, the ministry had advised all states and union territories to consider replacing 'Raj Bhavan' with 'Lok Bhavan' and 'Raj Niwas' with 'Lok Niwas'.
The central government's advisory pointed out that the existing names carried strong colonial associations. The new nomenclature is intended to reflect a more people-centric identity for these constitutional institutions, emphasizing that they exist to serve the public, not a royal authority.
Implementation and Symbolism
The official notification for the change in Uttarakhand was signed by Ravinath Raman, the Secretary to the Governor. The directive mandates the immediate adoption of the new title for all official and administrative purposes. A senior state official highlighted the core philosophy behind the change, stating, "The new name underlines that these institutions are meant to serve the people."
The change applies to both key locations associated with the Governor in the hill state: the primary residence in the capital Dehradun and the summer seat in Nainital. In the coming weeks, all physical and digital assets, including signboards, official letterheads, plaques, and websites, will be updated to reflect the new name 'Lok Bhavan'.
Part of a Growing National Trend
Uttarakhand is among several states adopting this symbolic shift. West Bengal formally notified the change last Saturday, becoming the first state to implement it. Other states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala have also begun the process of renaming their Governor's residences in accordance with the central advisory.
This wave of renaming across India represents a conscious effort to redefine the symbolism of governance. By replacing a term associated with monarchy ('Raj') with one that signifies the people ('Lok'), the move aims to reinforce the democratic ethos of the nation and its institutions.
