"Aador, in Bengali, means love and affection. I had this name in mind since a long time. It's such a beautiful word, and I am surprised that I have not come across a single Bong child by this name." |
The Roys, married on December 25, 2003, after a four-year courtship, say that all their friends and relatives had predicted they would get a baby boy.
"Even the pandits had predicted a son," says Ronit (who already has a teenage daughter, Ona, from his first marriage). "I am cool with two daughters; girls are more caring towards their parents. But of course, I would have loved it if I had a son, after Ona."
Neelam says Aador resembles Ronit, but he says their daughter is a mixture of both. "Her eyes are quite chinky, similar to Neelam's." Do they plan to have a second child? "Yeah. As soon as Aador starts walking on her own, we will go in for our second baby."
Any sleepless nights, courtesy their bundle of joy? Says Neelam, "I think every night is a sleepless night. Aador is just six months old, and wakes up in the middle of the night."
Says Ronit, "There were slight complications at the time of her birth, and that, I think, was the most anxious night we spent after our marriage. But everything is okay now, and we have put that behind us."
Home bound
Ronit's mom has shifted in with the couple at their new residence in Arshi Towers; earlier, she stayed with Ronit's brother, Rohit and his wife Manasi Joshi Roy. "Aador is very comfy with her grandma. I can go out for a while and come back, and I need not worry," says Neelam.
Wouldn't Neelam like to work again? Ronit interrupts, "I am from the old school of thought. I am very clear that the woman, or at least one parent, has to be home, and give priority to the family." Would Neelam like it if Ronit sits at home? "I wouldn't like it that way. I am comfortable as a housewife," replies Neelam, a former Miss India contestant.
Ronit and Neelam feel that Aador should be educated either in Pune or Goa. "I am pretty clear that Aador should grow up in a khullam khulla environment, unlike Mumbai, where I can see hardly anything except concrete. How I shuttle between Pune and Mumbai is a distant story — we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
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