How Papputu got her name!

My cool dude hubby and myself decided to bring home a girl child and vigorously started working on that
I mean prepare the paper work, making ready the documents required and all routine stuff required for adoption.

Since we had already decided it would be girl child... I asked my cool dude to join me on the decision making process of our child' name. But then he said "What is in a name, a Rose is a rose is a rose" "You decide, I'll follow... and then don't you know you are always good at calling names my sweetheart! My heart filled with pride and stomach with warm fuzzies! I thought "Oh! how sweet of him!! Good gracious What a relief ! Since I had already thought of a name and feverishly wanted to christen my child with that.
Hurrah!! So no discussions or franctic search on the internet for the right name. My child will be called with "This" name which was always in my mind.

I had no idea about the meaning of the "This" name . Whether its referred in the Sahasranamam or by Nilaganda Dik****har. or what not..All I knew was "This" name was my granny's and I loved her dearly and that one of my child will be called with her name.

Pavam My cool dude was oblivious of my secret passion for "This" name..

Hence he asked one fine evening "Decided! huh!".

I said "Oh yeah ! Already", I cleared my throat "Its "MEENAKSHI ! My granny's name.

Cool dude showed no reaction like our beloved Jeeves of Wodehouse. Feeling it was too blunt to say and with maternal leanings, I further added and substantiated "and bcos Madurai is your birth place Nah". He smiled and nodded! Happy that I cleverly balanced the paternal part also quiet well I hopped bouyantly into the kitchen.

Ooooh! My Child will be called MEENAKSHI I secretly screamed!!

On a fine day ! Our cherubic child "Meenakshi" came home!

The child's arrival was informed to all. All were excited and happy about her.

Alas! When I had to tell them her name and the reason, most felt (or I presume) in the days of internet with tongue twisting Hebrew, Japanese, Irish and Sanskrit names doing the rounds not much of thought had been put in searching for a unique name.

Undeterred! I felt it was the right name for her and suited her to the hilt.

Then I raked my brain! Why not atleast now get to know what goes behind the name "Meenakshi" apart from the fact my granny was called that way.

My internet expedition to find the answer started .....and got these details


Once Indra killed a demon, even though the demon did not harm anyone. This act brought a curse upon Indra that forced him to continue wandering until he was redeemed from his sin. After much wandering Indra was freed from his suffering through the power of a Lingam in a forest, and so he built a small temple at that site..
It so happened that at that time in South India there was a pandyan king called Malayadhwaja Pandiyan ruling a small city by the name Manavur, which was quite near to this Shivalinga. He was the son of Kulashekara Pandyan. He came to know about the Shivalinga and decided to ībuild a huge temple for Shiva in the forest Kadambavanam. He also developed the region into a fine princely state called Madurai

The king was childless and sought an heir for the kingdom. Shiva granted him his prayers through an Ayonija child (one born not from the womb). This child was three years old and actually the incarnation of goddess parvati the wife of shiva. She was born with three breasts and fish-shaped eyes. It was said that the extra breast would disappear when she met her future husband. She was named Meenatchi, (meaning fish eyed) from the words mīna (meaning fish) and akṣi (meaning eyes).

She grew up to be a Shiva-Shakti personification. After the death of the king, she ruled the kingdom with skillful administration.
In one of her expeditions she went to the mountains and there, on seeing Shiva, her extra breast disappeared. Many of the gods and goddesses came to witness their marriage.

At the wedding celebrations the gods refused to have the served food unless Shiva performed a majestic dance for everybody gathered at the place. At this there was the dance of chidambaram, the cosmic dance in front of his wife Minakshi. It epitomised and merged all life force and beauty into one whole.

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I was moved to tears when I read it...How unknowingly with my bliss of ignorance God has put in pattis' name in my mind so aptly.

Now I feel there can be no other name in this world that would suit my daughter....except her beloved "Kollu Patti's name".

I love you Patti forever...