Indian babies named after floods

By Amarnath Tewary
BBC News, Sharsha, Bihar

Kosi (right) and other babies were born in traumatic circumstances

Many babies born during this year's devastating monsoon in the Indian state of Bihar have been named after the river that caused the flooding.

The Kosi is often called Bihar's "river of sorrow" because it causes floods.

This year's rains caused the Kosi to change course, severely affecting areas not normally prone to flooding.

More than three million people have been affected and scores have died in the floods. Over 300 relief camps have been set up in the flood-hit districts.

'Calamity'

Surendra Kumar Mandal and his wife, Mamta Devi, who have taken shelter in a derelict relief camp in the town of Sharsha, christened their baby girl Kosi.

We wish to remember this flood and the catastrophe forever so we named the baby after the river Ice cream vendor Surendra Mandal

Kosi was born on 30 August after Surendra, an ice cream vendor, and a pregnant Mamta fled their home and waded through floodwaters for about 25km (16 miles) to reach the nearest camp.

"We named her Kosi as she survived the curse of the river Kosi," her mother told the BBC.

"We wish to remember this flood and the catastrophe forever so we named the baby after the river," Surendra Mandal said.

In another corner of the same relief camp lies another new-born girl called Kosika.

"She has brought relief and happiness after so much pain and trauma so we named her Kosika to remember this moment," her mother Ruby Devi said.

Kosika was born on 1 September after her parents fled the flooded village of Dhurgaon in Madhepura district.

Another boy born in the camp on 4 September has been named Pralay (Calamity).

That was the term used by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to describe the floods in Bihar.

"When he was born, camp authorities came and named him Pralay. We agreed to keep this name to remember this calamity," father Raghu Ram, a farm worker, said.

'Devastation and trouble'

Some distance away, at another relief camp at Madarsa, Jameela Khatun has reportedly named her newly-born son Mohammed Kusaha.

Parents say their newly born children remind them of the floods

Kusaha is the name of a place in neighbouring Nepal where the Kosi breached an embankment, changed its course and entered bordering districts in Bihar in India.

In the relief camp set up at a local law college, four pregnant women have decided to name their new-borns after the river, or something related to the flooding.

"If I have a baby girl I will name her Kosia for bringing so much devastation and trouble all round," said Tun Tun Paswan, a rickshaw puller.

Mr Paswan and his wife are waiting for their second child.

Umesh Paswan and Meena Devi who have taken shelter on the veranda of the college are waiting for their sixth.

"We have not yet decided on a name for the baby but it must be something related to the Kosi deluge, maybe Kosi Maharani [Kosi Queen]", said Umesh Paswan, a vegetable seller.