Bandar (port)

Bandar or Bunder (in Persian بندر) is a Persian word meaning "port" and "haven". Etymologically it combines Persian بند Band (enclosed) and در dar (gate, door) meaning "an enclosed area" (i.e. protected from the sea) derived from Sanskrit/Avestan Bandha (to tieup) and Dwara (entrance). The word travelled with Persian sailors over a wide area leading to several coastal places in Iran and elsewhere having Bandar (haven) as part of their names. In some Indian languages the word Bandargah means "port". In Indonesian Malay it means "port". In Assamese-Bengali languages "bondor" means port.

Places

Various ports around the world derive their names from the word "bandar". Some of them are listed (country-wise) below.

Bangladesh

India

The west coast of India, with its historic links to Persia, has several place names that include the word bunder. The city of Bombay historically had a number of piers along its waterfronts, each named after the cargo it typically handled (or at times a landmark or important personality). The piers have long gone, but the place names continue to be used today. A coastal town in Andhra Pradesh by name Machilipatnam is also called Bandar by the local people over there. These include:

  • Apollo Bunder
  • Akhtar Bunder
  • Arthur Bunder
  • Ballard Bunder
  • Boree Bunder (boree = sack or bag)
  • Brick Bunder
  • Carnac Bunder
  • Chendani Bunder
  • Chinch Bunder
  • Chincholi Bunder
  • Colsa Bunder (colsa = coal)
  • Dana Bunder (dana = grain)
  • Ghod Bunder (ghod = horses)
  • Haji Bunder
  • Hay Bunder
  • Kerosene Bunder
  • Lakdi Bunder (lakdi = timber)
  • Masjid Bunder (masjid = mosque - however, this pier was named after the Gate of Mercy Synagogue)
  • Machilipatnam or Masulipatnam is also called Bundaru by Andhra people in Andhra Pradesh
  • Mith Bunder
  • Nagla Bunder
  • Reti Bunder (reti = sand)
  • Tank Bunder
  • Wadi Bunder
  • Zakaria Bunder

Similarly, in the state of Gujarat, several town names include the word bunder:

Indonesia

Iran

Malaysia

Oman

Pakistan

Somalia and the East African Coast
  • Bandar Beyla
  • Boosaaso, formerly known as Bandar Qaasim
  • A coastal region of Somalia is called Banaadir, however Arab geographers applied the term historically to all port cities of the East African coast, from Somalia to Mozambique.[1]

Other countries

References
  1. Vianello, Alessandra; Kạssim, Mohamed M.; Kapteijns, Lidwien (2006). Servants of the Sharia. p. 5. ISBN 9789004131224.
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