I was searching Dwija on the Google, hoping somehow to find my name somewhere in the web, but knowing it was most unlikely. Wonder of wonders ! I did find a reference to a blogsite ,not mine of course, but a Dwija's nonetheless. Dwija turned to be a charming 28 year old American woman with a husband and two kids from Temecula, California who seemed to be a prolific blogger with a variety of interests.
Now, I have nothing against 28 year old Americans, particularly if they are women, but the name foxed me. Dwija is a Sanskrit word, very much Indian in sound and meaning, and as a name eminently masculine. I can never think of Dwija being a girl's name in Bengal or anywhere else in India. For that matter, it is not a very common name either and many people I know and who know me spell the name incorrectly( they miss the w ).I have given up correcting them long ago, except trying to make sure that it is spelt correctly on legal documents and finacial instruments.
One of my friends explained that the girl's father or mother might be an Indologist or involved in Asian studies. Pure conjecture on his part, but he cited the case of Uma Thurman whose father,as he said,is an Indologist. Uma, after all is an Indian name, in fact one of the many names of the Goddess Durga. However, this does not explain why the parents would choose a boy's name for their girl child. If it is her real name, of course.
Dwija means the 'twice born' and refers to the one who realises Brahman( The Infinite or God) or in more mundane terms, any brahmin who is born again spiritually after his Upanayan or the sacred thread ceremony. It also refers to any species coming out of eggs and includes birds and even snakes. In the latter aspect, the word is sex-independent. My mother was perhaps not that concerned with these meanings when she named me. She was reading Saratchandra's novel Bipradas when she was pregnant and the name of Bipradas's brother Dwijadas appealed to her. Thus, my name.
My mother was not unaware of the meaning though and did cherish high hopes for me,but that she did for all her children. All mothers do.
The name may have been adopted by the California girl to symbolise her birth in blog space. I can try and solve the puzzle by getting in touch with her or but then the mystery evaporates.
May be later.
On my interview at the time of admission to Chetla Boys' High School,I was asked the meaning of "Satyadas",my name.I knew the meaning; the servant of truth, but preferred to keep mum as I never wanted to declare me as a "servant".Yet I was admitted as my father took me to the school.So do not get mislead.You are Dwijadas and after Saratchandra and our mother perhaps no one else found the full name so appealing,not even the charming lady from USA.
ReplyDeleteAh, you have revealed the truth which I find you continue to seek. I could have shrugged it off like Shakespeare.. What's in a name.. the brightness we radiate is good enough, despite the 'das' componenet.
ReplyDeleteI am however reminded of Jhumpa Lahiri's Gogol being obsessed and depressed by his own perfectly respectable name which is quite unlike some of the names we know of like Pencho,Bhuto, Batle or Bonde.
I was randomly searching my name on google when I found this. I am a girl named Dwija, too and find it a very unique name. One of my aunt's neighbors have also named their daughter Dwija as they found it very appealing.
ReplyDeleteDwija get out of here
ReplyDelete