“What's in a name? that which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet.” - Shakespere.
My thought - Apparently that rose is not of an 'Indian' variety. If it were, there would be a LOT in the name !
It has been common in traditional indian families to adopt a name which in itself would tell you the primary name, head of the household's name, family name, caste, and village. With so much information packed in just a name, one can easily say that 'simply a name' is a BIG DEAL in India.
Its like you can't ever get lost in the famed Kumbh mela or anywhere else. Someone- just by hearing your name can deposit you to your exact address. It's very logical and I appreciate our elders and ancestors for coming up with the system.
If you are a woman, the lifecycle of your name is even more complicated. You have one long name in your childhood and early youth, and then when you've started to get the hang of it, you have to swap it with the new name that your husband gives you along with his name, his family name, his village and caste name.
But with changing times, the requirements of this information packed in the name is diminishing. We have other information systems available. On hearing a name, and if I am really interested in a person, I would rather google him or check him up on facebook judging on the quality of common friends we both have. If I have professional interests in the person we always have LinkedIn. I don't honestly care what his name is and what all his middle names are.
In the fickle lives that we lead where neighbours are strangers and yet we seek to make a name and get a reputation and touch lives with our good deeds, how does it feel to give up the name itself? When the name has lost all meaning except who we really are. How does it feel to adopt a new one suddenly?
Yet in India, there is a larger population that believes that a woman should change her name on paper once married. I was surprised to hear that women's right to keep her maiden name while filing for petitions as a couple has been made legal in the State of Maharashtra by the Bombay High Court only in September 2011.
Why would I want to change my name when I already have a perfectly good name I'm completely happy with? Thats a big part of who I am and I don't want to change that. This is a simple statement.
Yet, if said out loud, some nincompoops go ahead and say stuff like "Then, why did you get married". It is as if that is the singular purpose of this amazing bond two people share. And don't get me wrong. I've heard very well educated, well-mannered men saying that to me when I put my point forth.
These days I'm seeing more and more contemporaries of mine (modern day married Indian working women) having reservations about changing names on paper. I can understand why. When pressed by families, they don't have anything better than the passive aggressive approach, combined with the factor that they are already too crazy busy with the harrowing routine that families living in metros have these days. Who needs the extra paperwork! But it goes deeper than that. No One who loves themselves would want to give up such a big part of their identity.
I have to say that I disagree with Shakespere's Juliet- From what I have discovered, a name is never just a name.
In this age and time, there can be only one reason to do such a thing as changing one's name, which otherwise seems so illogical now. The reason is the same as the reason we give for doing hundreds of other illogical things -Love!
Its a wonderful thing to do, as an expression of love and trust and respect. And sitting behind the rose-colored glasses, even the paperwork doesn't seem all that dull.
I recently, changed my name on the passport; hence the article. But even as I did that, it was as per my choice and because I'm totally head over heels in love; I feel pretty happy and content even as I say my own name :). If your own name brings you happiness, then why the hell not !
p.s.: Dear hubby- Happy Valentines day !! :*
Yet in India, there is a larger population that believes that a woman should change her name on paper once married. I was surprised to hear that women's right to keep her maiden name while filing for petitions as a couple has been made legal in the State of Maharashtra by the Bombay High Court only in September 2011.
Why would I want to change my name when I already have a perfectly good name I'm completely happy with? Thats a big part of who I am and I don't want to change that. This is a simple statement.
Yet, if said out loud, some nincompoops go ahead and say stuff like "Then, why did you get married". It is as if that is the singular purpose of this amazing bond two people share. And don't get me wrong. I've heard very well educated, well-mannered men saying that to me when I put my point forth.
These days I'm seeing more and more contemporaries of mine (modern day married Indian working women) having reservations about changing names on paper. I can understand why. When pressed by families, they don't have anything better than the passive aggressive approach, combined with the factor that they are already too crazy busy with the harrowing routine that families living in metros have these days. Who needs the extra paperwork! But it goes deeper than that. No One who loves themselves would want to give up such a big part of their identity.
I have to say that I disagree with Shakespere's Juliet- From what I have discovered, a name is never just a name.
In this age and time, there can be only one reason to do such a thing as changing one's name, which otherwise seems so illogical now. The reason is the same as the reason we give for doing hundreds of other illogical things -Love!
Its a wonderful thing to do, as an expression of love and trust and respect. And sitting behind the rose-colored glasses, even the paperwork doesn't seem all that dull.
I recently, changed my name on the passport; hence the article. But even as I did that, it was as per my choice and because I'm totally head over heels in love; I feel pretty happy and content even as I say my own name :). If your own name brings you happiness, then why the hell not !
p.s.: Dear hubby- Happy Valentines day !! :*
