March 21, 2010

My name is?

I was the first grandchild on mom's side of the family and my parents' first born as well. Much before I was born, my parents had decided to call me Kirti. It means fame and of course, they wished that their little daughter would grow up to be famous worldwide. :D 
Enter the pandit at the 'namkaran' ceremony who was shocked at their choice of name. "Bada hi ashubh hai.", he reportedly screeched and ordered my parents to name me something starting with 'A'. So after much deliberation, I was named Aparajita after a character that Vyjanthimala (spelling?) portrays in some film.

Thus began a lifelong tussle between my 'ghar ka naam' and my 'school waala naam'. Kirti was the naughty little chit of a girl who was spoilt rotten by everyone at home and Aparajita went on to become the serious, studious type who sat quietly and read in a corner while her classmates rolled in the dust outside. I'm not talking like I'm schizophrenic to freak you guys out, that's just how it was. It took me many years to open up and tell my friends to call me Kirti which relieved me from the burden of being good little Aparajita all the time! Of course, names never stay as they are. So Kirti became Ki, Kiki, Kiku and all such sorts of nonsense. And when I was old enough to have them, the steady stream of boyfriends in my life would use the stereotyped 'baby', sweetheart', 'darling' endearments instead of my name, which made me even more infuriated with what I have come to call 'the name situation'.

The boyfriends became history but the confusion continued. My in laws wouldn't call me Kirti! And why not?! Because their son in law's name is also Kirti! Apart from cringing at the fact that my name seems to be a unisex one, I was stuck wondering what they could call me. Ki wasn't 'proper' and despite that fact that it has been suggested to me many times, Appu was a BIG, FAT NO!!!!!!!! My dad in law finally solved my problem by deciding to call me Chikku, what he used to call my fiance when he was a baby. It's not my name of choice but I'd rather be named after a fruit (chikku) than an elephant (appu)! And of course, the fiance himself calls me anything from 'wifey' to jackass' to 'barbie'. Thanks baby!!!

The conclusion? There isn't one. Every time someone calls me, it takes me a minute or two to turn out, I realise too late when I'm being referred to in conversations and I end up ignoring my teachers very often when they go 'Apaaaaaaraaaaaaaajitaaaaaaaaaa'. :D Okay so that last one is often on purpose but that doesn't mean I'm not facing a genuine problem! Ask me what my name is and you'll know!!!

16 people had something to say:

Pavitra said...

hahah...You wanna hear my list...??
Pavitra...the actual one...and it makes me cringe when someone calls me that coz hardly anyone does...
I'm Pavi to many people...
Other names include...Billi (my neighbour kept that one), Pebbles (my mom kept that), smurfy (coz i'm tiny), and ofcourse my bf calls me the usual honey, baby, darling, psycho.....You know, the usual :P

Luscious Sealed Lips said...

What's in a name, Barbie? ;)

Kisses.

Ramit Grover said...

Chikku is cute too. But I like Appu better.

We'll call you Appu when you're pregnant with triplets.

Ramit Grover said...

I like Appu.

Honestly. I do.

Jack said...

Ki,

Hope you do not repeat this at 7 Pheras. I mean tripping. Please do not forget when Pandit ji calls out your name at wedding time for taking vows, thinking he is calling someone else. LOL. Chiku, a lovely name.

Take care

Chandni (Chanz) said...

how abt chikka.. I am called by that name.. :)

f said...

my fav is kiku.. and ur dad in law's idea of calling you chikku is too cute.. since ka was called that in his childhood. dan cute. Kiku chiku.. even i wouldnt want to be called appu no matter how cute it is. appu = baby fat. period. he calls you barbie ? sweeeeeeeeeeeeet. what do you call him.. Ken? hahah my fav toy..barbie.

Americanising Desi said...

awwwwwwwwwwwww ... i just hope the real Kirti doesnt get lost somewhere :)

Neha said...

Among the names in the list I APPU best! :P

:)

ki said...

Pavitra: Pebbles :D aw!!! that's adorable!

LSL: Beats me. I'll tell you the day I have just ONE. :P :D

TBG: Yeah, we're going to stick with Ki. :D :P

Jack: Thanks! :) It is cute. :D

Chanz: Chikku is close na?! :D

ki said...

Di: Kiku :D :D :D
And I call him 'blushy'. (HOPE HE NEVER READS THIS!) Not 'cos he blushes (!!!) but 'cos he's addicted to that smiley!

AD: Me too. :)

Neha: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Dhanya said...

I wish I had two names ! :( Chikku is nice.. but I second bald guy. Appu is wayyyy better :D

ki said...

Dhans: NAHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!

The Keeper of the Keys said...

Lmao!!
You're so phunny!!
I laughed so much imagining the little kirti and the little aparajita. You know, just ki actually suits you the best. After barbie, of course! :-p

I'll try 2 be truthful said...

:) u remember kiki was what julia R. was called in America's SweetHearts :)
whats in a name aye? as long as its called with love.. :)

anamika said...

I was calld bandariya when I was a kid as I always use to jump around here and there..

Your post made me nostalgic Chiku:P