"The name is Ekan, Ekanthapadhikan"
Ideally, this should have been the first post in my blog. But I was not aware that my name - Ekanthapadhikan - would raise such curiosity among others. In fact, I never gave a second thought to it when I had to choose a nick name for me-self. Eventually, I noticed that people who could make sense out of my nick name liked it and others (maybe) took it for a real name. And for those who thought it to be my real name, well, it's not. It's a nick name that I've been using for a long time now, though I started using it in public forums only recently.
Well, well Ekanthapadhikan means 'A lonely wanderer' - 'Ekan' means 'lonely' and 'Padhikan' means a person who walks around. This is a word in my mother tongue, Malayalam and it is never used as a real name. It's a qualifying word that explains the state of being of a man.
And why did I choose this name? The answer is simple. Throughout my life till date, I've always found me-self to be an odd person out in my family, in society and among my friends.
My family on my father's side is a typical patriarchal, conservative one and I've always been accused of being less 'Man' like 'coz I contradict their ideas of getting their girls married in their early 20's and 'coz I always supported the idea of their daughters taking up a job and getting financially independent before they could get tied down by a marriage. Even my cousins on my father's side are all their predecessor's mould and obviously they find it difficult to mix with me. Also because they follow a set of traditions and values so blindly when, I ask questions against it. They think I'm a rebel, a lunatic, a self willed and arrogant person. But I'm not all that. In fact, I do value and respect my tradition but wouldn't follow it blindly. And so, I'm not accepted very whole heartedly there.
My mom's family is only a name-sake family. I don't find them close to each other and they're so totally unscrupulous but very educated people. They value nothing and doubts everyone. They're the kinds who wouldn't send their daughters with their fathers and thinks very great about it. They are all big time hypocrites who think they're the most sophisticated and perfect people on this planet. And I don't even know how many cousins I have on that side. You can guess, there isn't even a question of me-self getting along with them.
Coming to friends, well, I do have a handful of friends who love me, trust me and treats me well. But unfortunately I do not share much things with them be it music, movies, books or just anything. They find my tastes very odd though they do not object to them and at times even like me for my quirkiness. And I love them back with all their faults and miss givings just like they love me. But that doesn't make me feel any less lonelier either.
Besides my favourite pass time is to go on bike rides to different places and all that I usually have for a companion would be my camera with recharged cells in it. And that makes me an Ekanthapadhikan - The lonely wanderer!
And that's the story behind my name.
And now, many of you shortened my name to Ekan (meaning a 'lonely man') which sounds much better. In fact, there were instances when I signed my mail as Ekan and later correct it.
So... What say?
Does your name has a story behind it?
Well, well Ekanthapadhikan means 'A lonely wanderer' - 'Ekan' means 'lonely' and 'Padhikan' means a person who walks around. This is a word in my mother tongue, Malayalam and it is never used as a real name. It's a qualifying word that explains the state of being of a man.
And why did I choose this name? The answer is simple. Throughout my life till date, I've always found me-self to be an odd person out in my family, in society and among my friends.
My family on my father's side is a typical patriarchal, conservative one and I've always been accused of being less 'Man' like 'coz I contradict their ideas of getting their girls married in their early 20's and 'coz I always supported the idea of their daughters taking up a job and getting financially independent before they could get tied down by a marriage. Even my cousins on my father's side are all their predecessor's mould and obviously they find it difficult to mix with me. Also because they follow a set of traditions and values so blindly when, I ask questions against it. They think I'm a rebel, a lunatic, a self willed and arrogant person. But I'm not all that. In fact, I do value and respect my tradition but wouldn't follow it blindly. And so, I'm not accepted very whole heartedly there.
My mom's family is only a name-sake family. I don't find them close to each other and they're so totally unscrupulous but very educated people. They value nothing and doubts everyone. They're the kinds who wouldn't send their daughters with their fathers and thinks very great about it. They are all big time hypocrites who think they're the most sophisticated and perfect people on this planet. And I don't even know how many cousins I have on that side. You can guess, there isn't even a question of me-self getting along with them.
Coming to friends, well, I do have a handful of friends who love me, trust me and treats me well. But unfortunately I do not share much things with them be it music, movies, books or just anything. They find my tastes very odd though they do not object to them and at times even like me for my quirkiness. And I love them back with all their faults and miss givings just like they love me. But that doesn't make me feel any less lonelier either.
Besides my favourite pass time is to go on bike rides to different places and all that I usually have for a companion would be my camera with recharged cells in it. And that makes me an Ekanthapadhikan - The lonely wanderer!
And that's the story behind my name.
And now, many of you shortened my name to Ekan (meaning a 'lonely man') which sounds much better. In fact, there were instances when I signed my mail as Ekan and later correct it.
So... What say?
Does your name has a story behind it?
