B For Mumbai, C For Kolkata

We wish we could applaud each sacred act of baptism—or rather, second baptism—performed on our twice-born cities in the past two decades. In the frenzy of post-colonial rechristening that overtook us, an insecure nativism often won over more balanced readings of history. And so, it behoves us to give credit where it is due. Wisdom has at last dawned in the east: they have realised Bengal/Bangla is in fact the same name at the deeper level, manifesting differently in speech. (Imagine ‘West Bongo’!) This is better than having mass colic from hearing the whole world miscalling Kolkata.