Namesake

“What’s in a name?” said Shakespeare, “A lot” sayeth I. He did not have to deal with the staff at the passport office, bank, or that hospital where I had to go for various medical tests, or get a driving license, PAN card, and lots of other cards essential to modern living. Things get worse when you are endowed with a surname that is a name in most parts of your country!

When I went to obtain my passport, I was absolutely sure my work would be over in a jiffy as all my documents were in order, but that was not to be. Despite innumerable incidents of female foeticide, rapes, dowry deaths and domestic violence, I am proud to say our countrymen believe in respecting women, why else would I be Rupalata in one document and Rupalben in another? So ultimately, I had to submit an affidavit to prove my identity and only then could I get my passport ready. Either my marital name did not match with the maiden one, or I was not clear in my head which name to use and was hence using 2 according to them. I could never convince them that Chhaya could be a surname.

Same is the case with my mother-in-law’s various cards, share certificates, bank accounts and fixed deposits where she is Devi in all documentation done at Delhi, and Ben in all paperwork carried out in Gujarat. I am at a loss to understand why we need tags where official documentation is concerned.

And now to the plight of a cousin whose name is Shree. And to top that, she had the AUDACITY to marry a person with a difficult name and a more difficult surname. She found herself in annoying situations quite often, but worse could have been the predicament of those who would find a woman walk towards them while they would be expecting a guy!

Some names can save you from certain unpleasant situations though. My aunt is a very religious person who would not allow a non-Hindu to enter her house. Once we were forced to stay overnight at her place, but one Mr. Parvez was accompanying us. We were in a dilemma, but she extended cordial welcome to him as she thought his name was Pareshbhai.