Saturday, May 17, 2008

The "Name" Game

It's been a long time since I wrote a new post and I thought it will be ideal to do so now or my name could become extinct in this fast moving world. Well many of you might know that my name is "Jayendra M.G" (M-Mandalam & G-Gurumurthy). The reason why my dad kept this name?? and he says "Jay+Indira(Gandhi)= Jayendra". How Dumb?? I made sure that I never voted for Congress ever since I got my voting rights.

As you see a very controversial name for some people for reasons you know :-) (Jayendra Saraswathi- another name my friends gave me) but then I had everybody pronouncing my name with different syllables and words ever since my school days. Look at the following examples:
1. "Jugendra"
2. "Jayandra"
3. "Jagendra"
4."Gajendra"
5. "Jeyenth" etc..... and the list would go on..

Once it so happened that I got selected for the City U-13 cricket team and my name was displayed in the notice board as "Jeyentra". I was so overwhelmed that I came home and informed my parents who were delighted to hear the news. There was a match that was scheduled a week later for those who got selected in the team. So, I made all my preparations and left with my mom to the cricket ground for participating in the match. It turned out to be a nightmare though. The guys who had posted the list of players had removed my name as my certificates had it as Jayendra MG and the guy who got selected was "Jeyentra" :-( So, no amount of explanation helped the cause and I had to return home dejected and cursing myself & Indira Gandhi and her faithful follower Mr. Gurumurthy.

I had to change my name inorder to be assured that someone is indeed calling me. I made sure my friends & colleagues know me as "Jay" and my parents and relatives know me as "Jayu". And few of my relatives call me as "Jagadish". Now, when I went Onsite I called myself "Jay Gurumurthy" for obvious reasons of saving my name from cultural disgrace and mind you that no one dared to mess up my last name :-)

One more funny thing happened. I had gone to a famous numerologist in 2006 and he re -christened me as "M.G.N.Jeyenthira" much tougher and longer than my original name and he was very confident it would bring wonders to me. I almost fainted on my chair!! How can this name become so complicated in somebody's life? So, for obvious reasons I had to drop it and I am sure that name would have made no difference to my life :-)

So my friends, I went in search of why this confusion in my life?? and being an ardent follower and learner of astrology I found that having "Ketu" in my 4th house is the cause of all problems. This michievous planet will never allow my name to be pronounced or spelt only one way and the right way. Oh my God!! Where are you?? Wondering how many more changes required? Even a terrorist has less number of alias I guess!!Phew!!

Hmmm, so next time when we name our sons or daughters just ensure our Indian politicians do not steal their sweet name of it's charm!!What say??