The ta-tas of Himachal
By Raj K Machhan

WHAT is in a name? A rose would smell just as sweet even if you call it something else. True. But are names so insignificant? The Shakespearean logic does not seem to hold if we take a look at the surnames prevalent in the upper reaches of Shimla district. The unique and distinct nomenclature provides some meaningful information about the history and culture of the place.

Places like Jubbal, Kotkhai, Chaupal and Rohru are home to families bearing the letters "ta" suffixed to the root word in their surnames. Austa, Bhimta, Chanta, Deshta, Khimta, Pirta, Ranta, Tegta, Tanta, Zinta... the list goes on. There are over 150 such names almost covering the entire English alphabet. At first glance it appears that the choice of names is arbitrary and the words have been selected at random. Choose a word and add the ubiquitous "ta ". Not quite. The nomenclature adheres to a system having its moorings in the past. Each of these names is associated with a piece of history that is about 150 to 200 years old. The system goes like this.

The origins of these names can be traced to the name of the first patriarch of each family. In those times, a division in a joint family resulted in some of the male members branching off to set up families of their own. These families clustered together in villages. The head of the family was all-powerful. He was responsible for his flock and the lives of other members revolved around him. To keep things simple, people identified each other with the name of the family head. Thus someone belonging to Gangu’s family would be known as Gangta, Jhobu’s kin would be Jhobta and likewise.

But why only "ta"? According to Mian Goverdhan Singh author of over ten books on Himachal, the suffix "ta" probably comes from the Pahari word khatta meaning family or household. Instead of saying Gangu’s khatta or Bragi’s khatta each time, the names were shortened to Gangta or Bragta. Over the years these families increased in number and fanned out to different areas for economic reasons. The successive generations stuck to the name of the forerunner, preserving it for posterity. It would be pertinent to mention here that only powerful individuals could sustain their identity among the subsequent generations. The names of other individuals who set up separate families but were not able to make substantial contribution were simply forgotten with the passage of time.

How does the present generation feel about this system of nomenclature? Dr Jitender Moghta says: "We draw our lineage from our ancestor Moghu. He started the family probably around 150 years back. The family has multiplied and spread over the years. We still are a close-knit community and are there for each other in the good and the bad times". These surnames render a feeling of togetherness and close bonding among their bearers.

Rakesh Dhaulta, a young lawyer, maintains: "Our family was started by Dholu. We are proud to bear his name. In the ever-changing modern world, this association with the past gives us a sense of belonging and stability. It provides the roots to cling on to, and an assurance of self worth". The lives of forefathers are also a source of inspiration for the present generation. As Naresh Janartta puts it, "People in earlier times, specially in the hills, came up the hard way in life. Awareness of one’s origin helps an individual to be modest and humble in his dealings with others".

The simplicity of nomenclature mirrors the simple lifestyle, down-to-earth attitude and zealous approach of the hill people. Due to these factors Shimla district is one of the well-developed areas of Himachal Pradesh. Like the Tatas who were the pioneers of industrial development in India, the ta-tas of Himachal have been at the forefront of propagating apple cultivation in the state. These families have contributed in a big way towards making Shimla district the largest producer of apples in Himachal Pradesh. The per capita income of this area is one of the highest in the country.

Keeping the socio-economic conditions of those times in mind, Dholu, Bragu, Khimu and others of their ilk wouldn’t have imagined in the wildest of their dreams that their progeny would some day be such successes. These certainly are a group of very proud ancestors up there.