purab

Purab is a term used in several Indian languages to denote the eastern direction. In Hindi, purab is a common transliteration of the word for east, derived from the Sanskrit purva. In Bengali and Assamese, cognates such as purbo and purba are used to mean east. The term appears in geography, navigation, and everyday speech.

Etymology and linguistic variation: The root is Sanskrit purva, meaning east or eastern side. The Hindi form purab reflects colloquial pronunciation, while cognates such as purbo (Bengali) and purba (Marathi, Assamese) show regional variants. The word is widely used in literature, media, and common parlance to indicate the direction of sunrise and the eastern region.

Usage and cultural context: Purab is used to describe directions and locations, often appearing in phrases like Purab Paschim, meaning east and west. As a given name, Purab is used among Indian communities and in the diaspora, frequently carrying associations with the sunrise or the eastern horizon.

Notable people: Purab Kohli (born 1979) is an Indian actor and television presenter known for roles in Hindi cinema and television. The name is borne by others in India and abroad, reflecting its cultural reach as a masculine given name in South Asia.

See also: East (direction) and Purva.