Hindi geographical names

[Allen W Thrasher]

Artur,

Do you or the PGS have access to the current Survey of India maps?  I
believe nowadays they are pretty likely to have diacritics.  The system
goes back to British times. I can't seem to quickly find an account of
what the romanization system is called or what it is.   It was named
after one of the colonial Surveyors General.

The older US Army maps of India, still for sale until fairly recently,
were copies of British era maps.

Is your goal a map with names in Hindi Devanagari, or with a good
transliteration of the local names?

If a romanization, using the SOI romanizations, which are official, has
much to recommend it.  However, looking at the catalog records for some
SOI publications, I suspect that there is a convention of not bothering
to put a macron over final vowels, since it is usual they are long.
Look at our catalog <catalog.loc.gov> and search for the title District
Maps of Assam, India (LCCN 98687088) and observe at the end of the
Incomplete Contents note "Tinsukia."  So maybe you do need the
Devanagari maps.

Have you checked any of them in the index to the Schwartzberg atlas?

The GeoNet Names Server <http://gnswww.nima.mil/geonames/GNS/index.jsp>
 has some of your places, judging from a few quick sample searches.  It
also supposedly allows the use of Unicode and displays special
characters for diacritics after you download the fonts.  One can also
download separately the names file for each country.  NB it has a
warning about the presence of errors in the Pakistan and Afghanistan
files.  I believe a few of your names are in Pakistan.

Hope this helps.

Allen




Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
Senior Reference Librarian
Southern Asia Section
Asian Division
Library of Congress
Jefferson Building 150
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4810
tel. 202-707-3732
fax 202-707-1724
athr at loc.gov
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Library
of Congress.

>>> karp at UW.EDU.PL 2004-12-17 2:32:09 >>>
Dear List Memebers:

I was asked (by the Polish Geodetical Service) to prepare a list of
Indian
geographical names - with their Polish, Hindi and English versions.
Being unable to locate in Poland any detailed map of India in
Devanagari
characters, I would like to ask for your kind assistance in
determining
the Hindi equivalents (Kyoto transcription, with retroflex consonants)
of
the following geographical names:

Paithan Dam
Aharbal Falls
Barehipani Falls
Nohkalikai Falls
Nohsngithiang Falls
Kynrem Falls
Hogenakal Falls
Gugamal N.P.
Marine N.P.
Neora Valley N.P.
Moiling N.P.
Namdapha N.P.
Balphakram N.P.
Intanki N.P.
Krem Um Lawan Cave
Krem Maw Tynhiang Cave
Borra Cave

Peaks:

Baintha Brakk
Barabar
Batura
Chameringu
Changabang
Chogolisa
Dapha Bum
Dhond
Dapjo Pahar
Falchan Kangri
Gasherbrum
Gurudongmar
Kangto
Kephyaklo
Kokthang
Kolahoi
Kunyang Chhish
Langpo Peak
Lulupo
Lungreng Tlang
Masherbrum
Mathuri
Namprik Phuk
Nunkun
Panchchuli
Pangol kha
Pemikhangchhen
Rakaposhi
Rataban
Richi La
Saramati
Saser Kangri
Satopanh
Shispare
Singarsi Peak
Sonam
Tatakuti
Tent Peak
Tungar

Towns:

Dhamtari
Dhurbi
Dindori
Godda
Gondia
Gumla
Haflong
Harda
Kasargode
Katnio
Keonjhar
Khurda
Koraput
Madikeri
Nongstoin
Orai
Oras
Orraiya
Painavu
Pakur
Parlakhemundi
Pathanamthitta
Perambalur
Rajouri
Reckong Peo
Saiha
Sidhi
Theni
Tinsukia
Tura


Thanking you in advance,

Artur Karp

South Asian Studies Deptt
University of Warsaw
Poland