Namesake : Day 14 of A-Z Challenge

“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

I think Shakespeare didn’t understand what a name could mean to a person. Because for me my existence starts from it.

I often told the story why I was named Neerja. Now that the movie of same name is out people know who was the inspiration behind my name.

And yet I never disclosed how many different names I held before I was given this one.

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My mother always desired for a girl, and when she carried on her second pregnancy even when my dad was reluctant for the same, she had the faith that it was for the girl she would love to have. My father thought that you can do better justice to a child’s desires if he/she is alone. Discarding his all myths she decided to have me.

I was expected to be born on 11^th October, but as my father has to frequently travel my mother asked the doctor to give her artificial pains when she completed eight months of pregnancy. My mother was admitted at 11 am on 27^th September. And on the morning of 28^th September at 3.28 am I was brought to this world.

My brother who was 4 years old than was brought to hospital to see me. As he saw me, he said I would call her Nannu(small) as my nick name is Tannu(brother’s nick name). That’s how I got my pet name which is still more famous in my family than my official name.

In out cultural the naming ceremony of a child takes place after 11 days of his birth. The priest do a prayer and horoscope is made on the basis of time ,date and place of birth. The priest on the basis of same announce an alphabet and the child is given a name of same alphabet.

Coincidentally my alphabet was N and my grandfather who was the eldest member of our family named me Neelam(Blue Sapphire). My horoscope still holds this name.

Now when I turned 2.5 years old I demanded to go to school. My mother decided an official name for me which was Neha(Love” or “one who loves and is loved”). Now you must have noticed that all the names that I have put forward have some meanings, In India it is believed that a child gets the characteristics from his name so it is important to keep a name with a beautify meaning.

So I was sent to play school with Neha as my official name. When I turned 3.5 yrs old, it was decided to send me to proper school for nursery class. The day my mother was to take me to school for admission my dad declared that I should be named Neerja. My mother who didn’t liked the name much hesitated a bit, and asked my dad the meaning of same.

My dad told her that this is auspicious and courageous name. Auspicious because it means Goddess Laxmi( Hindu goddess for money) and courageous because of the girl Neerja.

This my attempt for the Fourteenth day of the A-Z Challenge.

Day 14:N(alphabet)