purba

Purba is a term used in Bengali and related Indic languages meaning east. It is derived from the Sanskrit purva and is commonly employed in toponymy to indicate the eastern part of a larger region. In transliteration, Purba is often written as Purba or Purbo.

In the Indian state of West Bengal, Purba appears in the names of administrative districts to denote their eastern location within a former larger entity. Purba Medinipur district was established in 2002 by dividing the Midnapore district, placing it on the eastern side of the former region. Purba Bardhaman district was formed in 2017 when Bardhaman district was split into Purba Bardhaman and Paschim Bardhaman, with Purba Bardhaman occupying the eastern portion.

Beyond West Bengal, the element purba is used in toponymy across the Indian subcontinent to signal eastern parts of regions or administrative units. As a geographic descriptor, it helps distinguish eastern divisions from their western counterparts, reflecting historical and administrative practices of naming by orientation.