Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath  November 27, announced the renaming of the Fazilnagar area in the Kushinagar district to Pava Nagari. Addressing an event in Ghaziabad, CM Yogi Adityanath underscored the historical significance of the city, stating that Lord Mahavira attained Mahaparinirvana in Fazilnagar.

Fazilnagar to be known as Pava Nagari

CM Yogi announced that the government has moved forward with the renaming of Fazilnagar, stating, “Our government is taking action to rename Fazilnagar as Pava Nagari.” He emphasised that although Lord Mahavira was born in Vaishali, Bihar, his Mahaparinirvana site is located in Fazilnagar, which is described as Pavagadh in ancient texts. Despite its significant place in history and Jain tradition, the name had been losing its identity in modern times. Therefore, the government has decided to reconnect this historic site with its ancient heritage.

Earlier, there had been demands to rename Fazilnagar. In September 2021, a local BJP MLA from the Fazilnagar constituency, Ganga Singh Kushwaha, had written a letter to CM Yogi requesting the name change.

Fazilnagar’s ancient identity

Notably, Fazilnagar was historically known as Pava, the capital city of one of the two Malla republics in ancient India. Malla was a tribe at the time of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha. It is believed that both Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira visited this location during their final journeys. CM Yogi’s statement indicates that the official process has begun. However, a formal government notification of the name change is still pending.