STRANGE SURNAMES AND NICKNAMES IN RAINAWARI ,SRINAGAR

                                 

   

NICKNAMES IN RAINAWARI

Rainawari had everything unique. People with strange surnames have lived in this area for centuries. Some peculiar surnames from Rainawari were:-

Mandaloo ( buttocks)

Partaazi ( Trader ) 

Machaama ( sweetened rice ) 

Kataal 

Haaktsar( Haksar  or insect feeding on Haak leaves )

Sipahi

Naaz

Mohtasib

Nakhasi

Kissu. ( Smallest  finger of the hand )

Dharmarthi ( religious )

Bagh ( having a, garden )

Turki ( Turkish ) 

Kotru

Hangloo

Kaar 

Shaar

Potaar

Daas

Tamiri 

Qongai( Qanoongo , a revenue official )

Bamatsoont( quince )

Jhandoo ( flag holder)

Watt ( corn boiled to eat as food)

Voffa  ( barking ) 

Krandoo (  a kitchen appliance used for measuring cooking oil)

Zaharbaad ( a deadly boil that doesn't heal )

Kuchroo( penis )

Sikh 

Rawal 

Jaan

Ambardar

Mahaldar 

Kotha ( derived from Koth, a disease resembling gangrene)

Khachroo (pony)

Vaas

Yachha ( Yaksha)

Durani ( Afghan surname ) 

Rangroo ( dyer)

Watloo ( jumping insect )

Teli ( engaged in crushing oil seeds to extract oil )

Kitroo ( flying bird )

Mujioo( raddish )

Kennu 

Haak ( green vegetable )

Kobb(  with a hump like deformity ) 

Daemin( sheep stomach)

Nar( manly ) 

Trakroo

Abhay ( unafraid )

Dembi (who lives on the bank of a water canal )

Ganhaar 

Zijoo ( an  insect )

Mota ( 2 families  )

Boni

Kichloo

Dulloo ( a container with a wide opening )

Miyaan 

Salmaan 

Beera (small  wooden  ball)

Chakku(Sour to taste )

Wattal 

Rambaal

Chottur ( They used to write Chitra) 

Mota and Kuchroo families had come from Chinkral Mohalla( Habbal Kadal) and Baramulla respectively. Let us see some strange Muslim surnames from Rainawari .

(1) Dalkaaw ( crow from the Dal Lake )

(2) Daandh ( Ox) 

( 3)  Dugga ( circular wooden container )

(4) Shoga ( a parrot-like bird that eats ripe fruits )

(4)  Ponzoo ( Monkey)

(5) Chaku ( sour to taste )

(6)Gaada ( fish )

(7) Paacha ( sheep feet or paaya)

(8) Tota ( parrot)

(9) Naelcha( pipe of  Hookah )

(10) Shaayar ( poet )

(11) Gadoodh ( wastage in a butcher's shop) 

(12) Naasti ( snuff addict ) 

Although many surnames were linked with professions that people adopted yet most of the surnames evolved and stuck to the families through a process of street mocking, teasing and lampooning. Sarcasm was inherent in these surnames.  It took about three generations for a nickname to get tied or stuck to some family and ultimately become its surname. When we were attending our school, gossipmongers, idlers and street urchins had devised some new nicknames for some persons. These persons were mocked and lampooned the moment they were seen by young boys or shopkeepers, or idlers. Before 1990,some popular new surnames in making in  Rainawari were:- 

"Dhi Nazar, Curfew Bacha,   ,Dhitt, Ganda tsoor,Tanga lott, Tchhata Ras,Aniema, Tuvaan Bacha, Alley Duul, Gaari Oatt,Tikka Vaavij, Yaava Kath , Paachi Ras, Marshal , Shoga, Batakh Thool, Nadir Churma ,Ganda-ras, Tse-kun Me-kun,   Taka Addij, Lipton Chaai, Sorma Kukil, Shraana Pott, Adda Dazh ,Dukalla ( double headed ) , Hachi Kalla, Aaba Dabba ,ZB, Yezaar, Batah-pholl and many more ."

What happened to these characters after 1990, I don't know. All of them were innocent and simple.

( Avtar Mota )

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