"Namesake"

Can anyone beat a Mallu when it comes to naming their kids? We have resorted to naming our kids with just sounds which have no particular meaning. Its done by picking a letter from the father’s name and adding a letter from the mother’s name. Different combinations are tried until the right “note is struck”. How faithfully they follow the principle of genetics - where one set of chromosomes from each parent is taken to determine the sex of the child. This results in names like Panku(son of Pankajakshan and Kumari), Sibi( daughter of Sindhu and Binoy), Siji, Jiffy, Jobi, Sini, Jini, Finny, Sijo to name a few. Now to enable us distinguish between a male and female name they are kind enough to tail it with mol or mon. So a girl will be known as Sijimol and boy Finnymon.

One wonders do we have to resort to this kind of naming to prove that it is our own child? I pity the child who has to live the rest of his life with such a name. Yes he or she can opt to change his name but that’s not an easy task. So don’t be surprised if you happen to come across a famous doctor called Finnymon or Jobikuttan and a district collector call Sibimol or Sijikutty.

A humble request to parents – to – be or parents who are in the process of naming their child, please check the very many books available on baby names or check on the internet for good names. You can also get the meaning of the names and their origin. We cannot decide the future of our children but can at least give them a decent name they can be proud off.

Acha / Amma vs. Dad / Mum

My first blog and what best topic to choose. Something that has been within me for years and something I have always wanted to openly express my thoughts and feelings at the fuss people make on what one should call one’s parents.

In Kerala generally parents are expected to make their children call them Acha / Amma. If you deviate and choose to be modern and make your children call you Dad/Mum – beware you are committing a crime more heinous than murder or rape. You will be laughed at and your children will be belittled in public. Eminent poets and prominent speakers can go on and on speaking on the deteriorating values in today’s society and one of the reasons they have always cited is because people have switched over to being called Dad/Mum. They say when a child calls Amma it rings a bell of joy in ones ears. It brings a smile to the mother’s face. I stood in front of the mirror one morning and tried using this word. “Amma” I said with fervor and emotion but I could not hear any bells ringing. And then I heard a beggars standing in front of my gate screaming on top of their voice “Amma vallathuim tharane” (Mother, pls give me something) and if you chose to ignore his pleas he can grow violent and scream on top of his voice “Amma Amma, Amma ….” Till you either answer him or shoo him away. Check the daily news and see the no., of frauds, rapes and murders being committed each day in our state. Looking at the accused, there is no two doubt, they belong to the “Acha/Amma category”.

So to all who advocate for “Acha/Amma”, I would like to say, it does not matter whether your child calls you Acha/Amma or Dad/Mum, it’s the values you instill in him or her that matter more. It is these values that will make him or her a good citizen of society. Isn’t is better we stop making a fuss about this petty issue and spend quality time instilling good moral values in your children so that they learn to love, share and live in harmony with others and contribute to make a better society and a better world to live in.