Is this name thing a recurring theme? In English, August Agastya Sen who wishes he were English and his name August is harassed about his name. In Split Wide Open August’s country cousin KP is quizzed about his name Kut Price, in Ravan & Eddie the young boy is renamed and spends a good part of his time wondering about his name. In Stairway to Heaven the protagonist VJ prefers his shortened initialized name to what he’s been given. And the girl who becomes part of his life has no name. She’s just The Girl.
Whatever, as they say. Not quite I’d reply. They are part of this city; Bom Bahia, Boa Vida, Bombaim, Mombaim, Bombay, Mumbai call it what you want.
For me it will always be Bombay.
No related posts.
I used to think exactly on those lines till recently. What really got me to change my opinion was the numerous articles in the BBC website that kept harping that colonial rule was great, and that it was mutually beneficial to both parties. This opinion has also been seconded by lot of my young British and European friends who I talked to over the years.
The general consensus among the western world is that all the colonies were pretty much like backward tribes until the British went and civilized them. They also truly believe that the colonies are grateful to the Brits for doing so .
To me it looks like the Brits have done a pretty good job at doctoring the history books, and hiding the blood on their hand from their younger generation and the rest of the world. I think changing of the names of Indian cities is symbolic, as it tells the west that the colonial rule was not appreciated by anyone and that such a thing should never be repeated in history again.
I think lots in a name.