AHMEDABAD - As Cyclone Biparjoy ravaged Gujarat's coastline, a glimmer of hope emerged amidst the turmoil. A local woman, displaced by the cyclone, decided to name her newborn daughter 'Biparjoy', symbolizing resilience and endurance amidst adversity.
Biparjoy, a one-month-old infant, was named after the cyclone that struck the Kutch coast last Thursday evening, forcing the family to evacuate their home. The family is now living in a temporary shelter home in Jakhau within Kutch district, along with more than 70,000 other residents who have been relocated for safety reasons.
The practice of naming children after storms or significant events isn't novel in India. In recent years, children have been christened with names like Titli, Fani, and Gulab Toofan - all reminiscent of past cyclones. The tradition extends beyond weather events, too. During the recent global pandemic, a family from UP's Gorakhpur district named their daughter Corona, while in Andhra's Cuddapah district, two children were given the same name. The gesture was symbolic, representing unity in the face of the global crisis.
This year's cyclonic name, 'Biparjoy', was proposed by Bangladesh and approved by the World Meteorological Organisation. The Meteorological Agency predicts that the impact of such storms can persist for a week or more, with Cyclone Biparjoy likely to affect the region for another two to three days.
In a similar vein, a family from Rajasthan, who found themselves stranded in Tripura during the nationwide lockdown, named their son 'Lockdown'. Another family travelling from Mumbai to UP onboard a train during the lockdown named their newborn 'Lockdown' as well, highlighting the continued tradition of drawing inspiration from current events when naming offspring.
