Sir,

I have come to New Jersey  State in USA to stay with my son for a few months. Here I noticed that  the  number plates  of the vehicles had ‘Garden State’ written on them apart from the usual ‘New Jersey’ and the registration number. I came to understand that New Jersey had vast tracts  of vegetable gardens long back and the requirements of New York and other neighbouring States were met with from here. 

Though gradually due to urbanisation it reduced, New Jersey State came to be known as Garden State and people proudly displayed this in the number plates of their  vehicles. In fact it is now mandatory.

 I wonder if the same practice were to be followed in India, we can call Karnataka as ‘Sandal State’, Kerala ‘Coconut State’, Tamil Nadu  ‘Temple State,’ Bihar ‘Coal State,’ Rajasthan  ‘Marble State’, Punjab ‘Wheat State’, West Bengal ‘Rasgulla State’ and so on !!

—K.V. Srinivas

Saraswathipuram

Camp: USA

1.3. 2022