A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But we wouldn't be buying them by the bunch for our loves if they were called Pokeythorns, would we?
I was reading some article ( destressing helps, when all your mind can think of are theorems, formulae, parts of plants, animals, oops...I started here too...hehhe) and came across a real vague name..called Pitka, its a characted named that in some new Hollywood movie...
In the midst of all my whirling frame of mind...some personal, some academic and some funnies like this...I was reminded of the oh so oft repeated boring saying " Whats in a name? A rose is a rose, ..." Yeah, but why didnt the kings ever spare time and give their sons better names, rather than, the numbers after their own..., now all because of their insensitivity, my kids have to go through so much confusion learning the numbers with the names...1, 2, 3..
Yes, but ever wondered how it would be if you were called such names when all you can think of is to hide ..
Remember what happened to Gogol in Namesake???
I used to have a family when I was much younger...as kids. They were the watchman's family ( weren't they what they were called in those days before the security agencies took over every nook and corner?) while our house was being constructed. Still to come across a more dynamic family. The bread winner, in this case, the Ragi MuDde( the millet balls) winner, who
used to literally bathe himself in alcohol, but still managed to guard the houses under his jurisdiction, with the ease of a Black Cat a la Mission Impossible ishtyle...He had a wonderful family...most who were our playmates, in times of friends' drought...
Their family tree went like this...
The always girth expanding ( read pregnant) wife called MannanGaTti ( I came to know later that it meant block of mud in Tamil )
Their first daughter, a very enterprising girl called MoTte ( actual meaning Bald headed )
Second Born girl ChinnaPiLlai ( roughly translated to Small kid )
Third born, again a daughter- A very novel name NonnapiLlai ( translation lost out on me..:( )
There were more that were following , but I had lost track of who was who...reason : they moved out due to lack of space...non availability of vacant sites, to up their humble abodes, Low tolerance of new residents who couldn't handle someone of such assumed atrocious qualifications!
And the best reason : They had made the small spot on top of the covered drain their city ( yes, Thats what they did....everything in a small spot, huge family, pets, all fuel storage, the gossip corner, etc in one small space)
Of course now the Chinna, Nonna etc are not recognisable...but when the patriarch of the family passed away a while ago ,nearly 30 years after he had stepped into that area...there were moist eyes for him...and many from the house owners who valued his presence in their construction site ages ago...
And he was called MuniyanDi : Muniyappa for the records.
Do we still have such people? So loved but still so humble, from a section of society most times scorned upon?
18 comments:
I think what makes people miss someone like muniyappa is perhaps the simplicity with which they live their lives.
I guess there are quite a good handful of such people around. And strangely, sometimes just talking to them puts certain things in perspective.
you start with something and then wham get us back to earth with something else...
i agree..kings had no imagination whatso ever when naming their kids...I, II, III, IV...:D
but motte...poor girl...
i endorse J's views...i remember the old lady who used to work for me, when i had just got married and came to Delhi...she really taught me a few things...and tolerated my tantrums too..:D
hey what's up at dreamz of wordz? :)
i love buying fowers for my friends, but most of the time i buy flowers without knwing da name - so, even if a rose is not named a rose, statistical chanes are hgigh that i may still pick it up :-D
like the muniyandi, we too have a family back home... but ppl like them r fast disappering... poor mannangatti...
therz a stidy in malayalam abt the journy to Kashi by a Manangatti and itz friend kariyila (dried leaf)...
Oi Prats! You should give it to the Mallus for naming... specially the christian community... I had a teacher when we were in cochin - she was called Icy. If that weren't worse, there were these sisters who were neighbours.. their folks named them June, July and December... no prizes for guessing why.
But Miss Titty Verghese was the laughing stock in her college. Not more than Mr.Dildo whose disgruntled ex-fiancee wrote into a social networking forum as to why she had to break off the alliance!:)
@j They are really simple , and in their thoughts of course. And ur right, talking them does make a difference
@TA :) State of my mind I guess...all confused...but these were on my mind for a while. The poor girl, was the butt of all jokes then from the little kids...though she was s sweet.
@TA dreaming spires and names...hehehe, will happen soon, but now its on vacation...i'm sure you'll know exactly what that feeling is...MIND DUMP ..lol
@xh thats really nice to know considering that in these days its all about what portrays the best in display...a flower is a flower
And that story I haven't heard...where do yuo think I can get to read it?
@ziah OI...that sounds scary...bad enough I have to remember historical names....but this too...You must have had a amusing time then :D
Some people are very simple and humble and it does make you think about life more deeply.
Ziah: you gave me a good laugh.. :)
True--we forget the unsung heroes.I used to have a maid called "Valli"--But I used o call her Valliamma.She was a part of our family--and whn my dad died, i called her. I am still in touch with her over the phone.
Loved the red red thorns in your rose stem pic.
I miss interacting with people like these...here
We had a house keeper at my grand moms home - came from a village to bombay and lived there since he was 14 - became part of the family - and even today when I visit - we spend a whole day....just miss these moments :(
great post filled air in the balloon and then pricked it :)
omg I cried! cos this post reminded me of a my chidhood days' caretaker we had...he was old and had a name similar to this. Truly simple and genuine ppl dun exist anymore.
Keshi.
@joy I think its these humble people who give us a rethink on what our lives are doing to us.
@ps Thank you. I know that attachment to Valliammma. In fact she's so lucky to have known your family. I've had a few maids who have been like that to us. I also think its our attitude towards them that makes them so good to us. Its a mutual relation.
@ceedy Hey...sorry for bursting that balloon, filled with nostalgia. I understand those sentiments. But i'm ure those moments are far better than not having any at all.
@keshi *hugs* I know...but they do exist if we look out for them. I still have a few people who have been my source of support through my life...who still are valued for their presence in my life.
ur right...just that we hv to keep em in our hearts too.
TC n hva good wknd!
Keshi.
Hey my hostel warden was called Sr. Flowery... and I had a school mate called Stemy. No jokes!!
Oh well, my mom had a class mate called SarasaManasaPrajamaniIttiAmma
Phew! I dunno if its one word or half a dozen, but long nevertheless!
@keshi You're right there Kesh. It should be in our hearts.
@shruthi Gosh!!! that must have been one amusing time you'd have had....can't imagine how you managed to keep straight faces through your stay there.
And your mom's friends sounds like she got name after one entire line instead of one word from the suprabhatham :D
u serious?...u sure tht was not their nick names?...mannan gata, takes the cake ...
man, its been donkeys years since i hve heard tht name...my mother uses tht term whnever i talk rubbish :)
our estate workers children are called tintu, chikru and tibu....iam waiting to see the look on the world's face when Mr. Chikru wins the Nobel prize or something...
@Tys It wasn't their nicknames, cos I used to ask them millions of times. I had heard that name being used while fighting amogst them...It was funny but yes, it was her name...
And yes...I really would love to hear Mr Chikru being awarded...
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