I made a resolution a little while ago to write down the answer to any question someone asked me, and put the answer on this here notes. Some questions I’ve been asked throughout my life, so I guess this being the internet, an FAQ is appropriate.
So here goes.
Is your Name Rudra or Kabir? Is your surname Kabir?
My name is Rudra Kabir. They are both my first name. It’s a little complicated, my parents are hipsters, they found it difficult to decide, long story. I go by Kabir usually, but answer to Rudra. Rudra Kabir makes me feel very formal, but I like it too. I am surprised by how well my name seems to fit me, nominative determinism gets one +1 from me at least. Kabir is the great sufi poet, of course, and Rudra is the frightening, mighty, tandav form of Shiva. I find the contrast interesting, and often ruminate on the fact that the two halves of my name represent the duality in my personality. I definitely feel like more of a Kabir, calm, philosophical guy who wishes we could all just get along a little better. But sometimes the Rudra guy comes out and he’s a bit less calm. He’s definitely the competent problem solver though.
I love the name also because it’s uncommon, I’m the only Rudra Kabir I have met. Kabir is a common bollywood movie though, so I can measure my life through The various Bollywood Kabir’s I have been called in the past.
Am I Gujarati?
Even though I was born in Ahmedabad and lived there for over 25 years, I often get asked this question because I am more than 2 standard deviations away from the median Gujju. I consider myself Gujarati, since that’s my birthplace. My parents are (Mom/Punjabi, Dad/Tamilian), so I have claim to those too. I like to say I’m half Gujarati, half Punjabi, and half Tamilian. All Indian. I love India. I love humanity in general and the rest of the world too, and to an Alien I would definitely say I’m an Earthican, and tbh I wish we could be done with borders already and have one large country called Blob, but I love India and love to say I’m Indian. Not saying we don’t have our issues(many) as a nation, but that’s a story for another day.
What do I do?
I’m not sure. This is an experiment in trying to find out. Most people answer this question with their career, or current job/industry title, but I want to be far more than that, and think life means a lot more than that. I want to be a writer, a son, brother, father, a lover, maker, craftsman, traveller, Shaman. I dislike the way we are trending towards reducing each human being’s identity to their job, and specialising each job to be a single task in the interests of the assembly line. It takes all the joy out of craftsmanship. Our minds are much more flexible than that, and if we don’t use that flexibility, we will lose it.
I know that I want to contribute to the future of humanity, and help those around me, while protecting and growing my family. And I believe that those contributions are measured over a lifetime, and in far more ways than economic value.
Do you play any instruments?
Yes, I play the tabla. I wish I could play it better, and practice more. I want to learn how to play the guitar, and recently bought a harmonica in the hopes that a portable instrument would help me practice more(it didn’t)