Whether you make a name in this world or not..your name..is sooo important..It’s the word with which the world would call you,recognize you..The word that is so much your own but it would be used more by people in this world than you will ever do.

So it was the naming ceremony of my niece..the darling bundle of joy of my proud aunt and uncle.

What do we name this bundle of joy? Was the question.

So here goes..A family meeting was called and the purohit arrived too and we all had to use our grey cells to come up with a name that would be HER....that would justify and satisfy everyone in the room… and appease the long gone ancestors and Gods above..

‘According to the baby’s star, her name should start with the letters Ro or tha..’The purohit enlightened us.

‘ok…so we came up with a list of names and then it was decided it would be Rohini and all gathered nodded in agreement.

Now for the other names? Well..you see when you’re from an orthodox south Indian  family you just don’t have  a single name..you will see why..

‘The second name would be Bindu’ my uncle announced and he smiled at me..I was the only one who knew why he chose that name  because it was the name of his lady love in college and he used to sing ‘ meri pyaari bindu…bindu re bindu..’ to her..she rejected him that’s a different story altogether..This was his ode to his ‘Bindu’ of yesteryears!!

So now the name was Bindu Rohini..ok!

‘Look! It was my granny’s wish that her grand daughter be named after her’ said my aunt

Now the name was Subba lakshmi Bindu Rohini…Subba lakshmi being her granny’s name.

‘what about Goddess Manga’s name..Lord Balaji’s consort?..the girl would  need her divine blessings..don’t you think? Add her divine name’ suggested my mom hitting her cheeks ( a gesture often done to ask the gods to forgive sins) and looking upto the heavens.

So now the name was  Manga subba lakshmi Bindu Rohini

‘How can you leave Lord Balaji behind…Where Manga devi is there Balaji follows..add Venkata to it to remind us of Sri Venkateshwara’ one more suggestion from my dad..

So now the name was Venkata Manga Subba Lakshmi Bindu Rohini…

Phew!!

‘How can you all forget our great grandmother’s name..she was so talented in singing and fine arts that she sang with the likes of Sri Bala Murali Krishna,the great singer’ my another aunt burst into a cascade of tears suddenly overcome with emotion.

We all consoled her and  now the name was

Raja Rajeshwari Venkata Manga Subba Lakshmi Bindu Rohini…

Now my aunt cooled down wiped her tears and looked up to the heavens and said

‘ ammaaaa…Bless this child that she keeps up your name!’

Phew!!!

The child must also be truthful and wise…good in studies..so it is best to add Saraswathi mata’s name to her..suggested one more brainy relative!

So now the name was  ‘Sathya Sharada Raja Rajeshwari Venkata Manga Subba Lakshmi Bindu Rohini..

‘There is Saraswathi,Lakshmi in her name..how can we leave out Parvati mata’ suggested another enthusiastic relative.

So now the name was  ‘Parvati Sathya Sharada Raja Rajeshwari Venkata Manga Subba Lakshmi Bindu Rohini…

Phew!!!!!!

Now they all looked at me for my ‘addition’..

The cute toddler looked at me from her  mom’s lap and yawned..

‘well..well…I cant really think..but you didn’t add the house name and surname to this list’ I chuckled..

‘yes …yes…how did we forget that’ they all nodded in unison.

So now the name was Gadiraju (HOUSE NAME) Parvati Sathya Sharada Raja Rajeshwari Venkata Manga Subba Lakshmi Bindu Rohini Shastry[SURNAME]

Phew!!!!!!!!! glad no more relatives to add on...

‘What’s in a name? that which we call a rose..by any other name it would smell as sweet’ lines from Sheakespear’s Romeo and Juliette came to my mind…

What’s important is that you turn into a sweet smelling Rose and spread your aroma to the world ..isnt it??

Well I too have a name that is as long as Rapunzel’s braided hair locks..but I would simply like my Frenz to call me
 ‘STAR TREKKER’…

But then…

‘what’s in a name? that which we call a ‘star trekker’..by any other name I would Trek the starry skies of the rediffiland…’

Pic- www.sfusd.k12.ca.us