ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>N&#256MKARAN</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="NMKARAN"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279N&#256MKARAN, naming or name-choosing, is in Sikh tradition the ceremony whereby a child first receives his or her name. The ceremony involves both the selection of the name and its public application to the child within the social context of the Sikh community. This is the first of the three Sikh life cycle rituals, the other two being marriage and funeral observances. The time of the naming ceremony is left to the judgement of the parents, though Bh&#257&#299 K&#257hn Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurushabad Ratn&#257kar Mah&#257&#7749 Kosh</i>, says it should be within forty days of birth which limitation however is not strictly adhered to in actual practice. The ceremony itself is simple. At the time chosen, the parents bring the child to the presence of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. This may be after the usual daily service in a <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i>. If chosen to be more elaborate, the ceremony may take place at the conclusion of a completed reading, <i>akha&#7751&#7693 pa&#7789h</i> accomplished within forty-eight hours of uninterrupted recitation of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib in the <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> or at home. The ministering <i>granth&#299</i> or any other revered Sikh will mix <i>amrit</i>, stirring it with a <i>kirp&#257n</i> and reciting the first five stanzas from the <i>Japu. Ard&#257s</i> is then said. The ceremony underscores the idea that the name received by the child has the sanction of the Gur&#363 and the community, that it has essentially been bestowed upon the recipient by them. The names chosen are generally characterized by the aroma of Sikh teaching and history and not unoften are taken out of the Sikh Scripture. They may signify qualities such as devotion, humility and heroism. Among names indicative of the Sikh spiritual ideals and pious aspirations, a few of the common ones are: Harbhajan Si&#7749gh, Harn&#257m Si&#7749gh. Harcharan Si&#7749gh, Gurcharan Si&#7749gh, Gurdi&#257l Si&#7749gh, Hardi&#257l Si&#7749gh, Joginder Si&#7749gh, Sant Si&#7749gh. Representing names of the Divine are R&#257m Si&#7749gh, Kishan (K&#7771&#7779&#7751a) Si&#7749gh, Bishan (Vi&#7779&#7751u) Si&#7749gh, Bhagv&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gobind Si&#7749gh, Indar Si&#7749gh, Narai&#7751 Si&#7749gh; those representing moral and spiritual qualities Santokh Si&#7749gh, Prem Si&#7749gh, Dharam Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Satn&#257m Si&#7749gh, Park&#257sh Si&#7749gh, Gurd&#257s Si&#7749gh, Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, Simrat Si&#7749gh, Satb&#299r Si&#7749gh, Satp&#257l Si&#7749gh. Some of the Sikh names expressive of heroism are: Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh, Jodh Si&#7749gh, Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh, Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, Jujh&#257r Si&#7749gh, Fauj&#257 Si&#7749gh, Bah&#257dur Si&#7749gh, V&#299r Si&#7749gh. Some draw on history and legend and on the objects of nature and, thus, we have D&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, Sikandar Si&#7749gh, Rustam Si&#7749gh, Tot&#257 Si&#7749gh, B&#257j Si&#7749gh, Sher Si&#7749gh, Kikkar Si&#7749gh, Pah&#257&#7771&#257 Si&#7749gh, Ga&#7749g&#257 Si&#7749gh. Months contribute some names: Chet Si&#7749gh. Bas&#257kh&#257 Si&#7749gh, Maghar Si&#7749gh, S&#257van Si&#7749gh, along with Basant Si&#7749gh as do cities and towns: Lahaur&#257 Si&#7749gh, Pashaur&#257 Si&#7749gh, Kashm&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh, Mult&#257n&#257 Si&#7749gh, Ajmer Si&#7749gh and K&#257bul Si&#7749gh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mention in the name of one's caste or surname is disapproved, though this prohibition is not strictly followed. A person bearing a distinctive name as individual may be referred to by his caste or domicile name or by some other attribute. Thus some leading Sikhs have been known as &#256hl&#363v&#257l&#299&#257, R&#257mga&#7771h&#299&#257, &#7693hillo&#7749, Grev&#257l, Siddh&#363, Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 (caste/ <i>gotra</i> names), as N&#257goke, Kairo&#7749, Jal&#257lusm&#257&#7749, Majhail, B&#257dal, &#7788auh&#7771&#257, R&#257&#7771ev&#257l&#257, Talva&#7751&#7693&#299 (domicile) or Kirp&#257n Bah&#257dur (appellation), Sher-i-Punjab (after a newspaper). Sometimes nicknames have become surnames, e.g. Ainak&#299, one who wears <i>ainak</i> (spectacles), &#7693hi&#7693&#7693al with a paunch, Lamm&#257 extraordinary tall, and so on.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the choice of names a process of evolution has been at work, generally from simpler to the more elaborate ones. The current popularity of compound and sophisticated names is owed to the increased emphasis on Sikh identity; also perhaps to greater concern for euphony and grandeur.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Most modern names are composed of two or more words combined to sound like one word, signifying generally heroism, self-sacrifice, devotion to the Gur&#363 or the principles the Gur&#363 inculcated. The patterns into which Sikh names usually fall would make an interesting language study as also a study of the ideals cherished. In choosing names among the Sikhs, both fancy and eclecticism play their part. Names from the Perso-Arabic Muslim background such as Shamsher Si&#7749gh, Sh&#257hbeg Si&#7749gh, Ba<u>kh</u>t&#257var Si&#7749gh, Sh&#257hb&#257z Si&#7749gh, Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh, Zor&#257war Si&#7749gh, Fateh Si&#7749gh, Iqb&#257l Si&#7749gh, Hukam Si&#7749gh, and H&#257kim Si&#7749gh. Among those suggestive of European background may be counted A&#7749grez Si&#7749gh, Major Si&#7749gh, Karnail Si&#7749gh and Jarnail Si&#7749gh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As compared with males, there is less variety in female names, which often adhere to objects of aesthetic experience or moral qualities. Examples: Resham Kaur, Gul&#257b Kaur, Surai&#7751 Kaur, Satvant Kaur, Sumittar Kaur, Sundar Kaur, Sush&#299l Kaur, and Maht&#257b Kaur. These have their counterparts among male names as well.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Jogendra Singh, <i> Sikh Ceremonies </i>. Bombay, 1941<BR> <li class="C1"> Teja Singh, <i> Sikhism: Its Ideals and Institutions </i>. Bombay, 1937<BR> <li class="C1"> Cole, W. Owen, and Piara Si&#7749gh Sambhi, <i>The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices</i>. Delhi, 1978<BR> <li class="C1"><i> Sikh Rahit Mary&#257d&#257 </i>. Amritsar, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> K&#257hn Si&#7749gh, <i> Gurushabad Ratan&#257kar Mah&#257n Kosh </i> [Reprint]. Patiala, 1981<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Murray J. Leaf<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>