India has a number of cities and towns which share their names, though their locations are miles apart and they belong to different states where languages spoken are totally different.
Here is a list of 10 different towns and cities with the same name in India:
1. Aurangabad
In Maharashtra
Aurangabad in Maharashtra was founded in 1610 by Malik Amber and was the capital of India during the rule of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Apart from being a tourism hub and known as the “tourism Capital of Maharashtra”, the city is also a major industrial town. Ajanta and Ellora caves, Daulatbad Fort, Shani Shignapur, the Nirala Bazaar and the Mughal gates that surround the city are the star attractions of the city.
In Bihar
District Aurangabad in Bihar is again a tourist hub with a myriad of temples, historical places and Islamic pilgrimage centres. Situated 70 km from Bodh Gaya, and 140 km from Patna, it offers excellent connectivity to various parts of the country. The best time to visit Aurangabad is between October and March.
2. Bilaspur
In Himachal Pradesh
Bilaspur is a district in Himachal Pradesh, where majority of the catchment area of the Gobind Sagar Lake, formed by the Bhakra Dam on the River Satluj, lies. It offers adventure sports, including kayaking, motor-boating and sailing among other things. The other star attractions of Bilaspur include the Bahadurgarh Fort, Kandraur, once the highest bridge of Asia, and Bandla hill, which is famous for paragliding.
In Chhattisgarh
Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh is an industrial town and is the headquarters of South Eastern Coalfields Ltd., the largest and most profitable subsidiary of Coal India. It also is home to the largest number of cement factories in the state. A very well-connected district, the Bilaspur railway zone has been awarded for being the most profitable railway zone by the ministry of Indian railways many times over. It is also the Regional Headquarters of Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board.
3. Chamba
In Himachal Pradesh
Chamba in Himachal Pradesh is located at the confluence of the Ravi and Sal rivers. This culturally rich town is noted for its handicrafts and textiles, as well as arts and crafts, especially the Pahari paintings which originated in the Hill Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th centuries. Many fairs are held in this town including the “Suhi Mata Mela” and the “Minjar Mela”. Chamba is dotted with innumerable temples and palaces and is a tourist hub.
In Uttarakhand
Located at the junction of the highways connecting Mussoorie and Rishikesh, Chamba in Uttarakhand has the Tehri Dam reservoir. Away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist spot Mussoorie, Chamba itself is very picturesque with pine and deodar forests and has other tourist attractions close by including Dhanaulti, Surkanda Devi Temple, Ranichauri, New Tehri, and Kanata.
4. Durgapur
In Maharashtra
Durgapur is a census town located in the interior Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, towards Nagpur.
In West Bengal
In West Bengal, Durgapur is the Steel City of Eastern India. It is a huge base for the iron and steel industry of the state. The growth of the town has been momentous in the field of medicine as well as education.
5. Fatehabad
In Uttar Pradesh
Fatehabad is 35 km south east of Agra. It was founded in 1658 by Aurangzeb. Today, it is a major industrial and agricultural centre of Uttar Pradesh.
In Madhya Pradesh
Fatehabad is a town and a village in Madhya Pradesh and a railway junction that connects Ratlam to Indore.
In Haryana
Fatehabad in Haryana is a city founded by the Tughlaq Dynasty in the 14th century, and is the headquarters of the Fatehabad district. The town has the Humanyun Mosque, which was built in the honour of the Mughal emperor.
6. Islampur
In West Bengal
Islampur in West Bengal was ceded from Bihar (Purnea district) and merged with the then West Dinajpur district in the year 1956.
In Bihar
Islampur in Bihar lies between a town and a village and is called a notified area. The Delhi Darbar located in Islampur, Bihar, is a major tourist attraction.
7. Kharagpur
In Bihar
In Bihar, Kharagpur is of prominence because of the beautiful Kharagpur Lake as well as the Rameshwar Kund and Kali Mandir.
In West Bengal
Apart from housing one of India’s largest railway workshops, Kharagpur is also known for the third longest railway platform in the world (1,072.5 m). Kharagpur is also home to one of the first IITs to be set up in the country after independence.
8. Kota
In Rajasthan
Situated on the banks of the Chambal River, Kota was once part of the Rajput kingdom of Bundi, and became a separate princely state in the 17th century. In recent times it has gained importance after being identified as a counter-magnet city for the National Capital Region (NCR), to attract migrants and develop as an alternative centre of growth to Delhi.
In Karnataka
Kota in Karnataka is on the way from Udupi to Kundapura, and is home to many temples that are known for their coastal-style architecture.
In Uttar Pradesh
Kota is a census town in the Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh.
9. Udaipur
In Rajasthan
Udaipur, known as the city of lakes, was the erstwhile lakeside capital of Mewar in 1559 A.D. With the Lake Pichola as the backdrop, the city is dotted with many palaces and temples and is one of the most popular tourist spot in Rajasthan.
In Tripura
Udaipur is a town and a municipal council in Tripura. The town has many artificial lakes including Dhani Sagar, Bijoy Sagar/ Mahadev Dighi, Jagannath Dighi and Amar Sagar. The famous Tripura Sundari Temple is also located here.
In Himachal Pradesh
Previously known as Margul/ Markul, Udaipur in Himachal Pradesh was renamed by Raja Udai Singh of Chamba in 1695. It is located 53 km away from Keylong and is dotted with pine forests all around. Apples, walnuts, apricots, etc., are grown in the area. Trilokinath and Markula Devi temples attract a lot of tourists here.
10. Hamirpur
In Himachal Pradesh
Hamirpur is located in western Himachal Pradesh and bordered on the four sides by Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur and Una. It is one of the colder regions of Himachal Pradesh.
In Uttar Pradesh
Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh was an important centre for trade and commerce spanning from the ancient to the medieval times. However, unfortunately, today Hamirpur is one of the 34 districts receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF).
