What is in a Name?

 Whats in a name ??

When USA won its Independence from Britain on 4th July 1776, the first thing they did was destroy the entire culture, rules, infrastructure and even the language of English. Wiping out every proof of invasion.

Today the modern American does not even know who they won their independence from. 

You don't celebrate the birthdays of your partners who you got a divorce from due to an abusive relationship, you don't keep the last name of your partner, you go back to your maiden name. You keep alimony & destroy everything that reminds them because it hurts your sentiments. 

*It's that simple.*

That's what in India, Indians are doing to their city names and culture that doesn’t  belong to us.

What is in a name?

When Communists came to power in East Germany after the WW2, the first thing they did was change the names of streets and towns.

Chemnitz was renamed as Karl-Marx Stadt.

Leipzig University was renamed as Karl-Marx University.

Streets all across East Germany were named after Lenin, Stalin, Ernst Thälmann, Marx, Engels, Rosa Luxembourg and Marxists.

Statues of famous & prominent Communist leaders were erected across East Germany.

.But, when Germany was unified in 1991, most of the names were changed to their pre-WW2 names by the Govt. of unified Germany. Statues of Lenin and Stalin were demolished across East Germany, the Streets and Alleys of East Germany were renamed.

We have numerous examples from West and World over .

If there is nothing in a name, why did the invaders at the first place, *change the names of Prayagraj to Allahabad, Karnavati to Ahmedabad, Ishwarpur to Islampur, Hanumanpur to Humayunpur, etc..?*

Irrespective of how liberal you are, will you name your son Kans or Duryodhan?

Will you name your daughter as Shurpanakha or Pootna ?

Why do the parents name their daughters Aditi, and not Diti ?

Why do parents name their sons Arjuna and not Shakuni?

Forget characters from scriptures, will anybody name their kids as "paraajay (defeat)"?  However, Vijay is a common name.

Will anyone name their children "Daanav" ? However, Dev is a common name.

So, let us stop acting like a fool in the name of appearing cool. Have respect for our ancestry and forefathers, who faced the oppression of invaders - Islamic, Portuguese and British, but still managed to pass their traditions, culture, customs & faith despite all odds.

Have some *self-respect* about our identity, about our existence and about our past !!!

Our cities were named Prayagraj, Karnavati, Ishwarpur, Hanumanpur, Lakshmannagar. Our forefathers were killed, our ancestors raped, murdered and oppressed by those who established these very signs. Have some pride & self-respect. Spare some thoughts for your ancestors and what they braved when the *barbaric invaders* were trying their best to behead, convert and rape your forefathers.

They never ever compromised with their pride.

They never compromised with their ideals.

They never gave up their identity.

They never relinquished their dharma.

If we troll, ridicule, loathe, mock and make fun when those very symbols of oppression & tyranny are being erased one by one, *there is something seriously  wrong with our identity!!!!!* 

There is everything in a name. 

*It stands for our identity.* 

It represents our culture, our heritage, the values that our society stands for, and the icons the society respects !!!!!

Let's grow up, get rid of that inferiority complex and that we are cool and a tolerant group.

The biggest irony is we refuse to call even our country as *Bharat* that happens to be not just it's ancient name but also what the Constitution too refers to it as, *“BHARAT”.*