Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 15th: N as in Name!

Monday, November 15, 2010

A very old and repetitive custom in India and most of the world, girl has to take her husband's NAME after she gets married. I am not very much in favor of this tradition, custom or a mere freedom-attacking ritual. The first step into your marriage and you are compelled to do something you might not necessarily like.

I don't know how many girls agree but i strongly vote against this tradition. My name is my identity. World has known me by that name for years. Getting married doesn't mean you belong to a new world. Will the guy take his wives name and live by that for years? No. That wouldn't be fair,would it be?

A lot of Indian girls change both, their first and last names. So when i see a friend's request on facebook from a childhood friend, i simply ignore it. Why? Well i don't know who this XYZ is. Doesn't it scare you, being a non existing personality for people who have known you for years.

Parents give birth to a girl child, name her with all possible love in this world and she is asked to change it as soon as she ties a knot. So unfair.

I however am lucky when it comes to this. Mandar has never ever asked me to take his family name and dissolve my identity into his. So, i still remain Shalmalee Vaidya on my 26th birthday today, on the 15th November of 2010 :)

7 comments:

Vinay Leo R. said...

happy birthday, Shalmalee didi ;) have a fun day and a great year ahead :D

Anu said...

I agree with you :)

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Shalmalee :)

I did not change my name either, I still remain 'Chowdhury', my family name, not Crazy's :)

Kattykally said...

You wouldn't mind being called Mrs. Gori though, will you? :P
I come across a problem often in retaining my family name. I usually use Ms. K G, so some people say Miss G, well I tell them - look here its "Mrs." not "Miss", so they go "Mrs. G" I feel they are talking about my mother. So I tell them - look here, it's Mrs. M, Ms. G and no miss. Makes my life quite complicated you see!

magiceye said...

belated happy birthday!!!
have a super year ahead!!

Snigdha said...

Awesome Shalmalee..totally agree with you...
I wouldnt want to change my name either...ive lived with all my life till date :)...This is me!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with your views ! Infact i have decided to just add my husband's last name to my full name after wedding !!