Short Tale of a Long Name

Me: Hi! I am Brajadulal Patnaik.
"Well...Sorry, I could'nt get it. Can you please come again?"
Me again: B r a j a d u l a l  P a t n a i k.
This is a very familiar situation for me when I meet someone for the first time. Yes, it is quite a difficult name. Rarely do I find someone who could pronounce my name correctly at the first try. I really cannot blame them for not being able to do so. Even I do not remember pronouncing my name properly till I was 6 years old; and when I took six long years to get my name out correctly from my mouth, I cannot realistically expect someone to say it correctly in six seconds.
My name has been mangled, minced, diced, sliced and re-joined again in every which way imaginable. I have been addressed as Brajad, Brajaulla, Brajadullah, Dulal, Lal and more. I have also been called Braj, Brajesh, Brijesh, Patnaik, Patnik, Pat or Patty.
Anyway, a name does not change any of my character. A rose, would smell as sweet by any other name. So, what is in a name? It does not really matter; except for a little bit of attachment that one has to his name.
All said, my name is something that I am proud of. I would like my friends to learn my name and say it correctly. If not anything, this small gesture from them means that they care for me enough as a friend .
Well, never mind. To cut a long name short, I am Braja. That’s what my friends call me as. It’s a short nickname which is much better to remember, though still not that easy to say. However, I fervently hope, there will be a long tail of this short name.

14 comments:

  1. Yes Mr Patnaik, what's in a name!

    Regards,
    Jahid
    Flashbacks

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  2. I understand, same case with me :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading my post Kislaya. We are in the same boat :)

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  3. I loved ur name, and i specially love those with different and unique names. I too have a bit different name but not as difficult as u brajadulal(hope its correct!!!)

    Read me on:ajiteja.blogspot.in

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  4. What to say... as if you are sitting in front of us and narrating this :) By the way, you missed 2 more names - Braja babu and Brajadulala babu...

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Yes you are right, I have also been addressed with those names.

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  5. A distinct name makes a distinct person

    Regards,

    Hari Sankar

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  6. What does your name mean

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    Replies
    1. Braj is a region mainly in Uttar Pradesh, around Mathura-Vrindavan where Lord Krishna was born and spent his childhood as per Hindu mythology. Dulal means beloved son. Thus, Brajadulal means the son of Braj which is another name for Lord Krishna.

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  7. Imagine people not pronouncing my name properly, I mean how hard 'Saru' is. I am called - Saaru, Chaaru and what not. To my surprise, Americans pronounce my name properly. But never mind, as you said, a rose is a rose; what's in a name after all?

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  8. Hi Saru. Thanks for dropping by and reading my post.
    You are truly an inspiration!

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