Bahla Fort world heritage site of Oman bears its longstanding history with the history of the whole of the ‘inhabited world’, and to recognise the Banu Nebhan(Nabahina) tribe as responsible for building their empire here from 12^th to 15^th c A.D. scans a chapter of history that finds its inhabitants as migrants from their original homeland in Mangala country prior to their arrival in the present Oman.

Though Bahla sounds like Baal(of the Bible), and Bala(of Indian puranas),  and Baibhara Hill, Bahla owes its origin to Mt Alaba or Alavi that shares the holiness connected with Mt Jodi of the Quran and the Nabahina. It has different name-forms; historians find Bahla as centre of Ibadism, and mention the latter as a branch of Islam is not correct; in reality, Ibad refers to ancient Badra or Badri which is close to both ancient Turkistan at Tihula at the foot of the Mt Imaos and to Mt Alavi, the southward extension of this primordial mountain neat Gerizim. Banu is as same as Benu Bird or the Phoenix; it is again connected with the City of the Sun at Arka-kshetra. Baanu was also name of a place near the City of the Sun; Bhanu identifies the ‘Moon’ or the City of Moon(Indu or Idu means ‘Moon’); Nebhan is as same as the ‘cente of the earth’ or the Nabhi or the ‘navel’ of the earth, country of the Nabateans.

Ancient Omaana should be seen along with Barygaza port along with coastland of ancient Persian and Eudaemon Arabia. Historians have treated Oman, Omana, and Ommana in three different ways and find them associated with the history of three different places; so it is necessary to check etymologically the origin of different names used to describe this site’s various architectural structures.

Omanic words at the site                     Their Odiya equivalent

Souq-semi-covered market:               sauka//personal material-likingness

Harat-traditional houses                    Hata//village market place/also Herat

Qasaba-citadel                                   Asababa//household// household items

Sabha-entrance hall                           Sabha//Discussion//Saudha

Sabla-audience hall                            Alapa//bartalapa//exchange of opinion

Sur-extensive wall                               Sahara//sarahada//Town// surroundings

falaj -system of water course            Jala//Baja//controlled water courses

Askari-fort guards                            Sikari// he who preys upon others

mihrab – mosque ornate                   abharana//bhusana//ornaments

Mosque                                           mokshya// or place of salvation

Bayt                                                Birata, a place-name

al-Jabal                                           Mt Abala

al-Hadith                                        Jerusalem or the place of Hadi

al-Aqr                                            Arka-kshetra, City of the Sun

al-Ghuzeili                                     Mt Gerizim/Girima

al-Hawulya                                    Rahula or Rachel, or Ho-lo-hu-lo