My Name is??????????

With all the gung-ho about this new SRK blockbuster coming up "My Name is Khan" is quite a popular line. Finally happy about the genre of movies that deal with neurological issues, i am only praying that Karan Johar does justice to autism and the awareness that needs to be so badly spread and does not end up doing a typical filmy over-cheesy KJo moment. May God give him some taste this time.

Anyway, the deal about this movie catching my eye has nothing to do with me being a SRK fan and i have made it extremely clear, i think, that i am neither a Karan Johar fan. And Kajol, though looking splendid has not either been the inspiration for this new blog.

What catches my attention is the emphasis on the answer to a basic kindergarten question- What is your name? Depending on your answer people deduce immense conclusions about you- some true, some fabricated and some influenced. For example, if your answer is, "My name is Khan" the listner pictures a Muslim person with a skull cap who more often than not is dressed in a pure white spotless kurta payjama. If you answer, "My name is Singh" you can expect a smile across the listener's face as he fishes out a potrait of a happy jolly man in a turban always cracking jokes. Its interesting how we have instant character sketches attached with names.

My tryst with names was post marriage. Mostly the trend in India is that girls adopt their husband's surname after marriage. There is no such law, but its just a stylish trend. And this was something I was looking forward to. Having started practicing my new signature soon after Mani had proposed to me, i had almost 5 years of signing practice by the time i got married! But as is most of life, this too was about to end in anti-climax. I was stuck with a 10 year US visa on my old name and i had planned a little world tour with Mani soon after marriage. Changing anything now, would just make me miss my grandeous oppurtunity of seeing the world with him. Choosing instant happiness over a long seeded wish, i stayed on with my old surname and bought myself almost 2 months of time by avoiding any change in passport details. And i was off on my long honeymoon!

But i have had various instances when i have had to explain my reason for clinging on to my old surname. To nail down the fact that im also a loving Indian wife. I just happen to have my maiden surname. However, it is a point of lot of discussion, awe and (sometimes) disgust to lots of over-curious people whom i meet now and then.

I ask myself, and you- why do we have a surname. how important is it? does it speak anything of us? Does it always speak in our favor? Or does it work against us too? Is having a surname really that important?

Names were set up only for purpose of identity, i guess. I am sure the Rakeshes, Rameshes, Poojas roaming the streets will respond to their first names being called out faster than their surnames being called out. Having a first name is enough for addressal purposes. What, then, is the need of a surname? imagine a world of only first names- no Khan, no bhatnagars, no singhs, no rao, no iyer, no paul, no johnstons- nothing. Simply you and me.

Their would be no religious connotations attached with you, no preconceived notions about your character, no expectations of any kinds. No undue favour from a boss who happens to be of the same caste nor any discrimination based on any caste either. No grouping up because you are from the same religion or region. You would be known for you, for who you are, for the person you are- not because you carry a tag of a particular caste or religion.

With the 60th republic day being celebrated in India recently, lot of discussions are seen everyday on what we want to change in our very old stagnant constitution. If somebody asks me, i would like a ban on surnames to be incorporated in the constitution. this could, who knows, prevent so many racial issues cutting across our immensely diverse community.

With due respect to Shakespeare, i feel that if he were born in India- he would also agree with me and would have asked, "Whats in a SURname?" wont you Mr Shakespeare, err, Im sorry...William?