My name is Samar Rehman Patel.
...
...
...
well... that's my problem.
To be honest I LIKE my name. Its such a simple and well structured name. And with a good meaning too ( Samar means Fruit, Rehman is a name of God and Patel literally means village Leader. So basically I am the God leader of the fruity business...) also if you shorten it it becomes Sam or better yet SRP ( I hate you...) but then again my name is confusing.
Take for example the police station
Policewallah: What's your name?
Me: Samar Rehman Patel... sir.
Policewallah: WHATTTT????
Me: Samar Rehman Patel.
Policewallah: What sort of a name is this?
basically any sane person wudve given up by this time....but this is my name so I persisted.
Me: Sir Mata-Pitaji ne yehi rakha...
Policewallah: But yaar... ye kaisa naam hai?
Me: Sorry sir...
Policewallah: Are you Hindu or Muslim?
Me: Sir does that matter?
Policewallah: (bit aback) Yeah it does.
Me: (gives a grimace)
Policewallah: Gujju hai?
Me: No Sir.
Policewallah: Maharashtrian ho?
Me: No Sir.... not really...
Policewallah: Kya matlab?
(then I recount into the speech that basically says that my fathers family is basically from Maharashtra and Mom's family from UP....but I am a pure 100% Bhopali)
Policewallah: To Bhopali hai??? Madhya Pradeshi hai???
Me: (feeling a bit relieved) Yes.....
Policewallah: To aisa naam kaahe rakha????
Me: (faints)
So basically I have a confusing name....and the disturbing thing is people love to make an issue out of it. I had a guy in my 10th class Hindi board exam that asked me fifteen times whether my name was written right?
And to add insult on this injury the religious tangle added to it gives it a fine aftertaste....sort of like the suds inside an overused espresso machine.
For example my Coaching Physics teacher...
Teacher: Whats your name?
Me: blah blah blah.
Teacher: oh....(smiling).....India Pakistan border situation?
Me: (confused like hell) What sir?
Teacher: Your mom dad ran away and married... right???? ...(grinning)
Me: (fed up with life already) No Sir.
Teacher: Oh C'mon I love a good love story...tell me what happened...their parents were against this marriage right? right? right?
Me: (faints)
Latest in this line of insult coming my way was the passport office...
Official: Samar Rehman Patel......(then stares again at my passport)
Me: (raising my hand) here ...sir.
Official: Samar Rehman Patel...(still staring at my passport)
Me: (waving my hand) here sir.
Official: Samar..... Rehman .... Patel.... (still looking in amazement at my passport)
Me: (practically dancing) here sir....look at me....
Official: (finally looks up) Oh...there you are...come inside and collect your passport.
Me: (relieved) Thank you
Official: (smiling) Have you come to change your name on the passport?
Me: (revolted) NO!!!
Official: (still smiling at my name) So is there some spelling mistake?
Me: NO Sir .... I...
Official: So this is your REAL name????
Me: (faints ..yet again)
I grow tired of people clarifying my religion or my state of origin or any other thing they think validates them to ask as soon as they read my name.
Even during my OP as soon as I would say ... I am from Bhopal.... "TU GUJJU NAHIN HAI????"
no.... I am just an Indian... Isn't that enough... I even have a passport now.
10 comments:
Heyyy I never knew pl can have so much issues with just a name .. cool you presented in an absolutely srp style..
and yeah for me you r just Samar ... it has to be you. :P
hehe... thx
Good one dude...apparently, there's a lot to a name than what Shakespeare said. You should make everyone call you Samar Rehman Patel so that no one makes an issue out of it anymore...!!!
Good one dude...apparently, there's a lot to a name than what Shakespeare said. You should make everyone call you Samar Rehman Patel so that no one makes an issue out of it anymore...!!!
calling u samar rahman patel is tuff...too many syllables...
hw abt srp.....we stil acknowledge ur name as it is...and easier on the tounge
@Hero Thats too long :(
@ anon. SRP is bad as it is...isn't samar short and sweet.
very captivating!!
I remember d tym whn u became captain of our school, my 1st reaction whn i heard ur name ws,"hey! isn't it an interesting name.." (I told Anima) :)
You sure do faint a lot... :P
Nice writing, though. And even more interesting situations you've been in :)
@namita et tu....
@arka I am faint hearted.
liked it....my respect for u has grown after reading this article
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