Annaja is a locality situated at the valley of Vindhya Parvata (the mountain called Vindhya). Though in Mārkaṇdeyapurāṇa (Markandeyapurana) this place is mentioned as Annaja, in most of the other Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scriptures), it is referred to as Anūpa (Anupa) or Aṇūpa. Scholar D.C. Sircar, delving into a comparative study of the reading maintained in different Purāṇa(s), has shown that the name ‘Annaja’ is actually an alternative reading of the land called Anūpa. Māhiṣmatīpurī (Mahishmatipuri)near Vindhyaparvata was known as ‘Anūpa’ in ancient times. Sircar has identified ‘Annaja’ as identical with Māhiṣmatī.