Two-month-old Mumbai baby gets a name in a democratic way like never before

A two-month-old baby born to Mithun and Mansi Bang from Deori in Gondia district had a very novel ceremony last week.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

MUMBAI: A two-month-old baby born to Mithun and Mansi Bang from Deori in Gondia district had a very novel ceremony last week. After the family members couldn't decide on which of the three names suggested for the baby, an election was held where about 140 individuals from amongst the friends and family voted through properly printed ballot papers and the baby was named Yuvan after the name fetched 92 votes.

"Yaksh, Yuvan and Yauwik were the tree option that had come forward from. The members of the family couldn't decide on a singe name that led us to the idea to go democratic," said 34-year-old garment merchant Mithun.

Yuvan is his second child.

Once it was decided that people's opinion should be sought to decide the name of the baby, the creativity of the family members was at the best. Everything right from the "election banners", "ballot paper", "ballot box" and even a logo of the 'election commission to name the baby' too was put in place and a proper election was conducted.

To name the baby born on April 5, the "election" was held on June 15, which was attended by former MP Nana Patole, amongst the other friends, family members and relatives of the family.

Incidentally, Patole's resignation from Lok Sabha necessitated a by-poll in Gondiya on May 28 and the by- poll had led to debate over the use of electronic voting machines with opposition parties demanding a roll back to the ballot-paper ballot-box system for conducting elections.

The "election" was conducted under the aegis of "Balak Naam Chayan Aayog". The logo of this commission bore an uncanny resemblance to that of the Election Commission of India.

"Friends and relatives were taken into confidence for finalising the name through the 'ballot box' and we invited Patole, along with the local BJP MLA and a former MLA for the event," Bang said.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com