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| A reconstruction of Tamerlane's face. | Source |
I was cooking some breakfast for my 12 year old niece visiting us from Delhi. She asked me if I was as good with history as with my culinary skills. On answering in the affirmative, she queried if i could help her with a school project. "Sure" I said.
"What are your thoughts about Saif (Ali Khan) and Kareena naming their kid Taimur?"
"That's your history project?" I asked.
"Yes, I have to write a 1000 word essay on why this name is troubling so many people to call a new born a 'jihadi-terrorist' on social media, possibly forcing the parents to change the name."
I don't know with what perspective the school teacher initiated this project, but if it is for getting an objective perspective, then, I think I must stand up and salute that person.
All I could remember from the history books was that Taimur, a Turk-Mongol from Central Asia attacked and plundered Delhi in the 14th century. It's a different matter that he was not the first Muslim foreigner to disrupt the largely Hindu sub-continent. Indian history is full of them. Mohamad Qasim - Sabuktagin - Mahmud Gazni - Mohammed Ghori - Qutubudin Aibak - Ulugh Khan Balban - Jalaludin Khilji - Alauddin Khilji - Muhammad bin Tuglaq were all foreign invaders who preceded Taimur between the 8th and 14th century. It didn't end there either. The Lodhi and Babur clan followed right until the Europeans made their presence felt 17th century on. All of them ruled ruthlessly and were responsible for rivers of bloods to flow. So, in all honesty, singling out Taimur as the worst is just a great job done by some his-story teller. If mass killing and plundering was an issue, then does anyone recall Emperor Ashoka and Kalinga?
My response to my niece was pretty straight forward. "Let's first start with why the parents may have named their child Taimur. What does it mean?"
She had done her research well. "I agree. Saif means sword, and Taimur means iron or steel. So Taimur Saif would mean an iron or steel sword."
"Well! that could be a possibility, or the fact that Saif's best role to date was that of 'langda (lame) Tyagi' and you do know that Taimur -e-lang was lame too. (It is a well known fact that Kareena and Saif got romantically involved during the making of the film that had him play that role). There could be another reason too for all we know. It is a parental decision and they would have certainly thought through the naming. Moreover, as Kareena's uncle Rishi said - It is their (Saif and Kareena's) child and what they call him is frankly no one else's business. If he was some ordinary persons's kid, this controversy wouldn't have risen and you would not have had to do this project."
"I so totally agree," she responded.
By the way, from a historical perspective, Taimur did not invade India but the Tuglhaq empire head quartered in Delhi. Taimur's atrocities included several cities which now lie in Pakistan, but at that time were part of the Tughlaq empire. India and the subcontinent as we know it today is largely a western (read British) creation of clubbing several kingdoms under a single rule - theirs. History, depending on whose version you read, suggests that Taimur was not the only villain of Delhi he is portrayed to be. Some blame his brother in law Amir Husayn which led to their falling out with each other. On the other hand Taimur believed that he was fighting a jihad and killing people who did not follow his faith was justified, as did any Muslim ruler at the time. "
"Wow! so why the fuss? Is it because she is Hindu and he Muslim or something that I have not understood?"
"I don't know that, but the very fact that you are asking me this question makes me believe that had it not been for the global situation today - one of terror - this would have been a non issue."
"The poor kid has become infamous for no fault of his. I wonder if the same problem would have arisen if they had named him 'Tipu'? he was a good Muslim ruler - right?"
I could not help but laugh, but for another reason. Not because of the 2015 November controversy surrounding the 'Tiger of Mysore' as he was popularly called, but rather at the thought of a current day Tipu (Akhilesh) giving his father MSY nightmares by having cleverly usurped his fiefdom called the Samajwadi Party. While the VHP felt that Tipu (Sultan) has been wrongly painted as a hero for he too did the same things Taimur did, (kill and/or covert Hindus), MSY may be considering renaming his own son as Taimur just so that his sons actions are not debatable as those of Tipu.
Well! young Taimur Saif Ali Khan Pataudi may get a name change. Hopefully his parents will not consider Shah Rukh as the alternative, for that was the name of Taimur's son.
I don't know if my Niece was left any better educated for the project, but I am sure in her own intelligent way, she will figure out that the names parents give a child have a lasting impression. Being the butt of joke at school can have a life long psychological impact on a child's future. Too bad that Taimur will not have the opportunity to redeem his name as also Tipu going forward.
A P.S. for Saif and Kareena. Congrats on the birth of your child, and Taimur is a very popular name in Turkey and Central Asia even today. But given the situation there, please don't pack your bags and move there. Your child will do just great here, even if he is called Taimur.
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