Comedy of Common Names
Author: Dr. K.S. Kang
Generally in North India and specifically in the state of Punjab and Haryana it is very difficult to tell the gender of a person just by the name. That is why there is convention of suffixing Singh after the name of males and Kaur after the name of females. But mostly the family members call a person affectionately by his or her fist name without caring to put the suffix Singh or Kaur that leads to confusion, chaos and comic situation at least for some time till the light of truth dispels the darkness of doubt. This confusion has increased in the modern world of mobiles, e-mails, and even internet.
One such situation arose in the Singh family who had a son and a niece by the identical name Manpreet, though the name of their parents were also identical. Everybody in Singh family was worried about their son who was reluctant and hesitant in getting married due to a strange trait in the modern young people to bear the responsibility of looking after their life partner and family under the guise of so called liberty that they try to protect as long as they can. Even their relatives had no clue how Singh family is going to persuade their son in getting married.
Meanwhile Singh Sahib’s niece who had completed the graduation was sitting idly at home for the last one year as neither her parents were interested that she should do some job nor she was adequately qualified to get a one. So her parents decided to marry her to a suitable match. After a number of interviews and complicated deliberations a match was fixed for her that according to her parents was the best that she could have hoped to get in her life. In glee and joyful mood her parents informed Singh Sahib about the fixing of her their daughter’s marriage. While Singh was talking on the phone “ Manpreet’s wedding is fixed, o’ congratulations. What marriage is next month, oh very good”, their maid servant Lalitha, who had lazy hands but alert ears and eyes, overheard it and and after finishing her work went out of the house very quickly. Within twenty four hours this news spread like a wild fire in the whole colony through Lalitha and her colleagues who took this news to the houses where they worked. Within a day every body came to know about the fixing of Manpreet’s wedding except Manpreet himself, who was out of town on some errand related to his job.
Next day in the morning when Manpreet came by morning train and decided to cover the distance from railway station to his house, that was about half a kilometre by foot, at every corner he came across some of his colony resident who congratulated him on getting his wedding fixed. Far from being happy Manpreet was devastated,frustrated and angry at his parents who did not feel even the need of informing him before fixing his marriage. His temper nearly reached the boiling point when the gate of his house came in sight. As he opened the bolt of the door he threw away his bag and sat on a cot placed near the door and started crying loudly. His mother and sister rushed to the door on hearing the bang of the bag on the floor, and loud crying of Manpreet. They thought that Manpreet’s new boss had fired him that is why Manpreet is feeling dejected at losing his job that was mainstay of his reputation in society.
His sister rushed inside to get a glass of water for him while his mother caressed his hair and told him not to worry by saying “ Don’t feel disheartened, losing job does not mean the end of the world. If God closes one door, He opens ten more doors”. Looking angrily at his mother Manpreet nearly burst our “ Who has lost the job? But certainly somebody has lost mind in the family that has fixed my wedding without taking me into confidence. I had told you not to fix my marriage till my probation period is over and I am on more stable ground. His mother replied “ Do we have to go to hell by arranging the marriage of educated person like without informing you.” Manpreet retorted back angrily, “ then why everybody in the colony is congratulating me on getting my wedding fixed. Manpreet’s mother and sister were unable to get what he was saying but almost at the same time Lalitha entered the house to do her job and smilingly congratulated them. She said, Don’t think that I am such a fool that I will not know anything if you will not tell me, I heard Singh Sahib talking to somebody on the phone”. Now Manpreet’s mother got at the source of misunderstanding and she scolded Lalitha by saying “ O’fool it was Manpreet Kaur’s wedding that has been fixed, who is SinghSahib’s niece and not Manpreet Singh”. Both Lalitha and Manpreet looked bewilderingly at his mother as it took some time to settle the face that it was common name that has caused the confusion. Manpreet with bowed head picked up his bag and entered the house dialling some number on his mobile phone. His mother asked him, “ now the matter is resolved now whom you are dialling ?” Manpreet replied quickly with a smile on his face and mischief in his eyes, “ To congratulate Manpreet and her parents on this grand success.”
