Nick Names

We didn’t have any for teachers. But during college and hostel life, there were a lot nick names among friends.
There was one friend, she scolds us if we don’t sleep on time, if anyone bunked the class, chats during study time, almost like a mother. So someone started calling her “Ammachi” Then there was Gajini ( who repeats stuffs a lot ), Susheela ( that soft spoken long haired girl), Pooja Bhatt ( the most stylish one ), Devil ( who urges others to skip classes and go for shopping or a movie ), Guruji ( the philosophical one), Sharada ( that’s me because of sentimental, sensitive in nature and the name thanks to the veteran actress Sharada who did a lot of sentimental roles in old Malayalam movies). The list is endless.. All the teasing were light hearted and we all took in its spirit. No one was hurt or took any offense.I am glad it was not a time of too much political correctness, my college and hostel life would have been a lot less colorful without these sweet memories

Most of us were from really small towns new to a big city for studies and we all knew we had each other’s backs. Oh that was a time ! Feels nostalgic !Thanks Maalti, for the thread !

 

Dear Sister @maalti

A post light in weight, heavier in message from victory stand just for gag.

A nice simple yet gorgeous one. Easy to ponder. Transport reader to his or her school-days & or into officialdom.

I enjoyed this light read that borders on my thread “laughter the best medicine”.

But then, what is nick? Why “nick” name? Why net pet name? Why not short or small name? Nick can be verb & noun. It can mean both jail & steal. Also a tiny cut as during in shave. Many a time God lent me succour just in nick-of-time.

Many of my pals in academics, in the hostels, in lodge and in my room were mostly christened by nick name closely symbolising their habits. Few were named by the brand of their cigarette they smoke. One was called Charminar a cheap brand one for quarter ânnā and another sea-farer was accosted as Bristol & one more was known as Berkley.

A big mouthed srini was called Bonda-voyan.

During my academics, an old master was known as “puncture” since at end of his utterances some air used to pass out of his denture.

• A lady professor of Tamil, during lecture would speak only in chaste Tamil. She is so fons that she would be delighted with student boy or girl in my class who attempts speak and respond to her questions in chaste tamil. During her roll call, she was calling student names one by one and they were answering thus: yes mam, yah mam.
• and it struck then to me i must answer her in pure chaste Tamil.
• My class-mate sitting next to me in the rear of gallery seat Chidambaram (ex mp cabinet minister) answered call already as “yes mam” challenged me to answer in tamil when my turn comes.
• Ms. Bhageerathi called my name thiru. Thya......I stood up with hands raised, and answered thus:

“உள்ளேன் சீமாட்டியே”. ( i am inn mam)

The entire class of some forty boys & girls burst into laughter thumbing the desk which lasted a minute.

Hilarious days then. Next-day onwards, the entire class began answering her call like me only in chaste tamil. A beaming Chidambaram shook hands!

A lecturer was quite tall and lean and so his figure associated with cob-web stick. His tamil nick name ஒட்டிற கொம்பு -cobwebstick - was quite popular.

In engineering college, vennira aadai moorthy’s late elder brother German returned - was my metallurgy professor. His name begins with initials KNV.
SO IN TAMIL students endearingly called him, konna vattai. ( sorry i can’t give its English equivalent) .

A class mate name with initials TV - Earned him the nick name தயிர் வடை -thair vadai ( curd vada) . There were many srinivasans in our class. Name of one was PS Srini. He was named as பழய சாதம் ( left over rice of yesterday)
A neighbour walking his dog termed as dog-man in chats circle.

A lady English professor for me known for her rough and tough manner earned her the sobriquet “CM” short for சிடுமூஞ்ஞி in Tamil (grouche) .

The list can be stretched...
Thanks & Regards.

 

Childhood was the best phase in my life and those sweet memories are always fresh in my heart.
My father's friend name strats with Mysora. I called him Mysore Malle puvvu ( Jasmine sambac) when I was just 8 years old.

We 3 siblings were in same school until I was 6th Std, my Sister was in 9th and my brother was in 7th std. Our senior who was in 10th std was always winner in running race. So, we called him Rayalaseema Express.

My sister's classmate and our neighbor sang just like Singer K.J. Yesudas Sir and he sang "Gaali vana lo" ( had sung by Yesudas Sir) song only ( don't know the reason) whenever he got the opportunity to sing in school. He was popular as Yesudas.

My brother and I were going to hindi tuition to write Madhyama exam. I was in seventh Std and my brother was studying 8th. Other school kids were also coming to that tuition and we didn't know some of their names. We always had competition with one kid and his face a little bit looked like Jambavantha ( king of bears in Ramayana) . So, we started to call him Jambavanth when we talked about him at home.

One of girls walked like a senior actress Sharada (@Swetha52003 hope you watched her movies in which she acted as a heroin). So, she became Sharada.

My mother used to go temple regularly and spent most of the time in temples in participating chanting and etc. So, my sis and I called her poojari ( purohit). My children believed that she was purohith when they were too young.

Now, my lovely children call me Ghajini as I write down to do important list on sticky notes (for not to forget ) and stick them on fridge doors.

 

Yes, she was the most admired actress of her times, especially for her acting skills. I remember watching her movie “Thulabharam “ on Doordharshan ,an iconic movie of black and white era in the south I think she got national award for that.

 

Sharada actress original name was Saraswathi. Her birth anniversary falls in current month on sat 25th. She had acted over four hundred films with top heroes in seven languages. She was considered as emotive as thespian sivaji Ganesan.

 

@maalti
Referring to remarks of a member of Indian Parliament Shri Madhi Azhgan (ஶ்ரீ. மதிஅழகன்), the seasoned lady news reader in English in All India radio - AIR - announced this MP ‘s name as Shrimadhi. Azhagan (ஶ்ரீமதி அழகன்). Later in political circle it turned out to be his nickname.

 

@maalti I trust you had read #4 .
Regards.

 

One of my teachers was nicknamed road roller, as his size reminded us of the vehicle, (He was given the gift of a toy road roller during out school farewell). Another was nicknamed Vilakkennai (castor oil) but I don't know why. May be looking at his face had a purgative effect on some people.