Absurd objections

The issue at hand is neither the name nor dress. It is more the absurdity of objections raised

When the famous Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan Pataudi and Kareena Kapoor turned royalty following her marriage to Saif, informed the world about their newly born, they had not bargained for the kind of reactions that followed. Ofcourse congratulations came in but they were not without their share of controversy.

 Saif Ali Khan is the son of the  Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, the well known cricketer. Pataudi, as the late Nawab was popularly known, was among India’s well known cricketers, in fact the best of his times. He married an equally well known film star Sharmila Tagore who boasts of a lineage from Rabindranath Tagore’s family. Of course Kareena, Saif’s second wife, has no literary credentials or a royal lineage. Her claim to fame is that she belongs to a well known Bollywood family of the Kapoors: Prithviraj Kapoor and his sons Raj, Shashi and Shammi: all of who made it big in the film industry.
 Saif and Kareena were blessed with a baby boy on December 20, this year, this being Saif’s third child and Kareena’s first. Saif was earlier married to another film star Amrita Singh. 
Announcing the birth, a joint statement from Saif and Kareena read: 'We are very pleased to share with you all the wonderful news about the birth of our son Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi…”
 The trigger was Taimur. Even his famous parents could not have made news the way the newly born did, within days of opening his eyes in this mad and somewhat weird world.
 The news was in the name Taimur. In some quarters there was a near outrage. Questions were asked on why the Khan couple chose to name their newborn Taimur: the  14th century Mongol invader who conquered many parts of Persia and central Asia.
Taimur or Taimoor in Arabic means ‘iron’. It also refers  to the sword of Islam.
Taimur has a historic significance. The name seems to be derived from the name of the founder of Timurid empire, Timur (meaning Iron) also called Tamerlane. Timur was regarded as a military genius and a brilliant tactician. He was also considered extraordinarily intelligent – not only intuitively but also intellectually. The ruler referred to himself as the `Sword of Islam’ and converted much of his empire to the religion.
 In his teen years, Timur lead a group of petty thieves who stole livestock from farmers and property from travellers and merchants. He grew up fighting the battles under the guidance of various Khans and Sultans.
 Tamerlane is the European derivation of Timur’s Persian nickname, Timur-e Lang, which means ‘Timur the Lame.’ Notorious for being a ruthless plunderer, Timur was left crippled by injuries to his right leg and right hand. 
Taimur was responsible for death of hundreds of thousands of Indians on his way to capture Delhi in the 14th century. In Indian history, his name is synonymous with massacres. Babur, the first Mughal king, is one of his descendants
In 1398, Timur defeated the ruling Tughlaq of Delhi and left the city in ruins. It is said that Delhi took a century to recover from his plundering.
An estimated 17 million people – around 5 percent of the world’s population at the time – were killed during Timur’s military campaigns
If reports are anything to go by, the choice of naming their son Taimur was Saif’s who by Kareena’s account is a “historian” and wanted what she termed as a “traditional old school name”.
 The social media went viral. Some examples:
 'U r either illiterate or arrogant… By naming yr son #Taimur u hv ensured he'll be equated to a mass murderer of Indians 4ever…
 and 
Come on. Just because a guy beheaded his mom at age of 18, murdered and raped millions, doesn't mean you can't name your kid after him….
 or
 At the age of 18 #Taimur killed his mother by beheading her and jailed his dad with steel chains. My advance condolences to Saif and Kareena.'
 Insensitive sure but also unnecessary: a clear intrusion on the privacy of the known and famous. After all it is the parents prerogative to name their kids what they wish. That the kid after growing up could slam their choice is another matter. Taimur in all likelihood would, given that in school or among his friends he is likely to be ridiculed at having a controversial name. But then that is something best left to the Khans to handle. The name-controversy has needlessly achieved proportions that are unbecoming, unwarranted and uncalled for.
 Quite like Saif and Kareena another  couple making news is Indian pacer Mohammed Shami. Close on the heels of  Taimur’s name game, was Hasina Jahan’s dress. Hasina is Shami’s wife. She was attacked on social media over the immodesty of her dress.
Shami had posted a photo on his Facebook page on December 23, where his wife can be seen wearing a sleeveless gown. This was enough for  fanatics to hit out and hurl abuses, demanding that his wife, being a Muslim, cover herself and wear a hijab.
Mohammed Shami was the latest victim of such a display of religious bigotry when trolls on social media attacked him over the ‘immodesty’ of his wife’s attire. Some demanded that  Shami should  ensure that his wife, Hasin Jahan, was not seen without wearing a hijab. 
 Familiar noises given that tennis star Sania Mirza was also at the receiving end of similar religious bigotry. Often  abused over her sporting attire, a fatwa was issued against her demanding that she stop wearing 'such short clothes' and that she should 'cover herself from head to toe' while on the tennis court. Nothing short of absurdity.
 The issue at hand is neither the name nor dress. It is more the absurdity of objections raised: it is about invading someone’s private space and imposing one’s views on a domain that is not public. What one is called or how one dresses is a matter of personal choice. Tagging history like in the case of Taimur or citing religion like clerics have chosen to do in matters of dress have no logic. Neither is it their brief to issue fatwas or diktats on what to wear or how to dress.
 The voices of sanity may be far and few but the fact that they exist and are vocal is a saving grace. In this day and age to cite religion or relics of history and object to a name or dress is nothing sort of absurdity. Worse still, to ask a sportsperson to play the game in a hijab like the clerics wanted Sania Mirza to or asking Shami’s wife not to dress in a gown is stretching it a bit far.
 Ofcourse there are norms of decency that one should socially follow but surely they do not get violated if one is not covered from head to toe? And to invoke religion to prove one’s point is nothing short of gross misuse and promoting bigotry in the garb of Islam. It is therefore not surprising that many Muslim women came out in support of Shami’s wife on grounds that wearing a gown or a sleeveless outfit does not make anyone less Muslim. Nor does it imply that one is disrespectful towards one’s religion. Equally, if one resorts to history to name one’s newly born despite a negative connotation, their rights or choice cannot be ridiculed.
 There may be a case of their picking a wrong name but it is their call. They can if they wish name their child after a plunderer, a murderer or a dacoit. Simply because one has access to the social media tool does not give anyone the license to abuse individual choices. A line must be drawn between decency and freedom particularly when  public opinion attempts to invade a private space. 

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: [email protected]

Absurd objections

The issue at hand is neither the name nor dress. It is more the absurdity of objections raised

When the famous Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan Pataudi and Kareena Kapoor turned royalty following her marriage to Saif, informed the world about their newly born, they had not bargained for the kind of reactions that followed. Ofcourse congratulations came in but they were not without their share of controversy. Saif Ali Khan is the son of the Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, the well known cricketer. Pataudi, as the late Nawab was popularly known, was among Indias well known cricketers, in fact the best of his times. He married an equally well known film star Sharmila Tagore who boasts of a lineage from Rabindranath Tagores family. Of course Kareena, Saifs second wife, has no literary credentials or a royal lineage. Her claim to fame is that she belongs to a well known Bollywood family of the Kapoors: Prithviraj Kapoor and his sons Raj, Shashi and Shammi: all of who made it big in the film industry. Saif and Kareena were blessed with a baby boy on December 20, this year, this being Saifs third child and Kareenas first. Saif was earlier married to another film star Amrita Singh. Announcing the birth, a joint statement from Saif and Kareena read: We are very pleased to share with you all the wonderful news about the birth of our son Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi The trigger was Taimur. Even his famous parents could not have made news the way the newly born did, within days of opening his eyes in this mad and somewhat weird world. The news was in the name Taimur. In some quarters there was a near outrage. Questions were asked on why the Khan couple chose to name their newborn Taimur: the 14th century Mongol invader who conquered many parts of Persia and central Asia. Taimur or Taimoor in Arabic means iron. It also refers to the sword of Islam. Taimur has a historic significance. The name seems to be derived from the name of the founder of Timurid empire, Timur (meaning Iron) also called Tamerlane. Timur was regarded as a military genius and a brilliant tactician. He was also considered extraordinarily intelligent not only intuitively but also intellectually. The ruler referred to himself as the `Sword of Islam and converted much of his empire to the religion. In his teen years, Timur lead a group of petty thieves who stole livestock from farmers and property from travellers and merchants. He grew up fighting the battles under the guidance of various Khans and Sultans. Tamerlane is the European derivation of Timurs Persian nickname, Timur-e Lang, which means Timur the Lame. Notorious for being a ruthless plunderer, Timur was left crippled by injuries to his right leg and right hand. Taimur was responsible for death of hundreds of thousands of Indians on his way to capture Delhi in the 14th century. In Indian history, his name is synonymous with massacres. Babur, the first Mughal king, is one of his descendants In 1398, Timur defeated the ruling Tughlaq of Delhi and left the city in ruins. It is said that Delhi took a century to recover from his plundering. An estimated 17 million people around 5 percent of the worlds population at the time were killed during Timurs military campaigns If reports are anything to go by, the choice of naming their son Taimur was Saifs who by Kareenas account is a historian and wanted what she termed as a traditional old school name. The social media went viral. Some examples: U r either illiterate or arrogant By naming yr son #Taimur u hv ensured hell be equated to a mass murderer of Indians 4ever and Come on. Just because a guy beheaded his mom at age of 18, murdered and raped millions, doesnt mean you cant name your kid after him. or At the age of 18 #Taimur killed his mother by beheading her and jailed his dad with steel chains. My advance condolences to Saif and Kareena. Insensitive sure but also unnecessary: a clear intrusion on the privacy of the known and famous. After all it is the parents prerogative to name their kids what they wish. That the kid after growing up could slam their choice is another matter. Taimur in all likelihood would, given that in school or among his friends he is likely to be ridiculed at having a controversial name. But then that is something best left to the Khans to handle. The name-controversy has needlessly achieved proportions that are unbecoming, unwarranted and uncalled for. Quite like Saif and Kareena another couple making news is Indian pacer Mohammed Shami. Close on the heels of Taimurs name game, was Hasina Jahans dress. Hasina is Shamis wife. She was attacked on social media over the immodesty of her dress. Shami had posted a photo on his Facebook page on December 23, where his wife can be seen wearing a sleeveless gown. This was enough for fanatics to hit out and hurl abuses, demanding that his wife, being a Muslim, cover herself and wear a hijab. Mohammed Shami was the latest victim of such a display of religious bigotry when trolls on social media attacked him over the immodesty of his wifes attire. Some demanded that Shami should ensure that his wife, Hasin Jahan, was not seen without wearing a hijab. Familiar noises given that tennis star Sania Mirza was also at the receiving end of similar religious bigotry. Often abused over her sporting attire, a fatwa was issued against her demanding that she stop wearing such short clothes and that she should cover herself from head to toe while on the tennis court. Nothing short of absurdity. The issue at hand is neither the name nor dress. It is more the absurdity of objections raised: it is about invading someones private space and imposing ones views on a domain that is not public. What one is called or how one dresses is a matter of personal choice. Tagging history like in the case of Taimur or citing religion like clerics have chosen to do in matters of dress have no logic. Neither is it their brief to issue fatwas or diktats on what to wear or how to dress. The voices of sanity may be far and few but the fact that they exist and are vocal is a saving grace. In this day and age to cite religion or relics of history and object to a name or dress is nothing sort of absurdity. Worse still, to ask a sportsperson to play the game in a hijab like the clerics wanted Sania Mirza to or asking Shamis wife not to dress in a gown is stretching it a bit far. Ofcourse there are norms of decency that one should socially follow but surely they do not get violated if one is not covered from head to toe? And to invoke religion to prove ones point is nothing short of gross misuse and promoting bigotry in the garb of Islam. It is therefore not surprising that many Muslim women came out in support of Shamis wife on grounds that wearing a gown or a sleeveless outfit does not make anyone less Muslim. Nor does it imply that one is disrespectful towards ones religion. Equally, if one resorts to history to name ones newly born despite a negative connotation, their rights or choice cannot be ridiculed. There may be a case of their picking a wrong name but it is their call. They can if they wish name their child after a plunderer, a murderer or a dacoit. Simply because one has access to the social media tool does not give anyone the license to abuse individual choices. A line must be drawn between decency and freedom particularly when public opinion attempts to invade a private space. The writer is a senior Indianjournalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: [email protected]