“What is in a name?” said Shakespeare, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The famous bard could not be wrong. Call Laxmi Niwas* Mittal by any other name and he would be as rich. But it is amazing that the connotation and denotation of his name merge as well as Arcelor has merged smoothly with his company Mittal Steel. Laxmi Niwas has really made Laxmi -the goddess of wealth- her niwas in Kensington mansion where she seems to sit pretty forever. Amen. But it does open a Pandora’s Box when we pause for a moment and wonder was it his name that attracted the goddess? His parents must have named him Laxmi Niwas in a dreamy trance to get a whiff of cool fragrant breeze of relief in the blessing of a son offered by fate so that their business of steel would flourish. The son, however, turned it into a reality now that he is one of the wealthiest men in the world. Let us take another instance, that of Padam Bhushan, Vidya Niwas* Mishra-a literary giant and a pundit of Hindi and Sanskrit languages. How well the goddess of learning made her abode there making his name so apt. These are blessed and worthy sons who made the names given by their parents so imbued with its meaning. Interestingly there are some other names which open before us different vistas touching the horizon of their achievement now known by their names .With their Midas touch and legendary perseverance they have made their talent associated with their names .If Lata Mangeshkar’s* name rings the melodious bells around us, the names of Shelley, Keats transport us to the magical world of beauty on the wings of poesy. Sometimes the ugly associations coalesce with the good ones but nevertheless prove the point to be true. If the name of Hitler makes a cold shiver run through our spines that of Mother Teresa helps it through its healing balm.
Ironically we also come across people where the names and their attributes run in opposite directions. Maids are called Laxmi* with no immediate turn of fortune in sight and Dhansukh* ever in need of few pennies. What a pity to see Nayansukh* with blank sight and Roopmati* with no trace of any iota of loveliness not even in her voice. Perhaps these diagonally opposite currents converge in the minds of parents who wish and hope their babies to lure the fortunes of which they or their children are deprived by their fates.
Words have amazing power to move the heart and open up before our eyes a world that these intend to create. Certain common nouns are associated with a symbolic meaning and are well utilized by hotels, restaurants, hospitals, charitable organizations, and nursing homes as their trade names and become popular.
Many a times a name becomes a plethora of several associations and carries different nuances of those associations. Names sure, have enormous aesthetic and influencing powers.
ALKA NIGAM
NOTES
Laxmi — Goddess of wealth, Niwas —-the place where one lives( a home to the goddess of wealth)
Vidya—- Goddess of learning, Niwas – home (A home to the goddess of learning)
Lata Mangeshkar —a legendary singer
Laxmi – Fortune
Dhan — wealth, Sukh – Pleasure ( the pleasure of having wealth)
Nayan—eye, Sukh –pleasure ( the pleasure of eye sight )
Roopmati – A paragon of beauty
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