The Shape of Things and Rao (Indian surname): Difference between pages

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'''''The Shape of Things'''' is a [[play]] by U.S. author and film [[director]] [[Neil LaBute]]. It premièred at the Almeida Theatre in [[London, England|London]] in [[2001]] with [[Rachel Weisz]] as Evelyn. The play was directed by LaBute himself. According to the author's instructions, it is to be performed without an interval or a curtain call.

'''Rao''' is a common surname and a suffix for male given names across [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[China]], [[Taiwan]], [[Italy]] and [[Brazil]]. Rao is also used as an addition to ones name in some places.

== Rao's of India ==

''The Shape of Things'' discusses the perennial question of what [[art]] is. Also, it is an exploration of [[love]] and people's willingness to do things for love. It is set in a small university town in the American [[Midwest]] and centres on the lives of four young students who become emotionally and romantically involved with each other.

Rao is a common suffix to male given names among natives of southern and western India, chiefly in the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Goa]], [[Gujarat]], [[Karnataka]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]], and [[Rajasthan]]. Rao is a title derived from “Rao Bahaddur” and is a suffix for male names (given names). As such it is not a family name (surname or last name). However, some Telugu families adopted Rao as their family name (surname or last name), relinquishing their original family names (surnames or last names), if they had any. Large members of [[shivalli]] Madhava brahmin community have Rao as their surname.

Variations of the name suffix "Rao" include "Rai", "Rayulu", "Rayawar", "Rayar", "Raut", "Raya" and some others. One or the other of these variations is found in most parts of India, but mainly in south India and the deccan region. The name "Rai" is usually found in north India and in the Punjab province of Pakistan, as well as the western coast of the state of [[Karnataka]] predominant in cities such as [[Mangalore]].

''Warning: [[Wikipedia contains spoilers]]''

Rao is also used as a surname in the Gujarati community, chiefly among the Brahmbhatt or Barot castes. The Barots were given the title Rao by Emperor Akbar "The Great" as a reward for settling the dispute between [[Akbar]] and his son Saleem. The reward included ownership of surrounding areas of several villages, and was designated "Rao" of the territory. The descendants of this Rao each went on to administer four localities including Tandadja, Achhalaia, Rasulavaad, and Patanaa (all in Gujarat).

When Adam, an average student majoring in English literature at a provincial university, meets Evelyn, an art student, at the local museum where he is working part-time as a guard, his life takes a decisive turn. Never having had any success with women, he feels flattered when the attractive girl shows an interest in him, and they soon start a relationship. What Adam does not notice at first is that Evelyn makes a lot of demands on him. At first, she suggests that he should start eating healthy food, change his style of clothes and have a haircut, which sounds reasonable enough. Later, however, she asks him to have [[plastic surgery]] -- even if it is just a simple nose job -- without telling anybody about it, and eventually to stop seeing his friends Phillip and Jenny and spend all the time he can spare with her. Also, Adam must never ask her about the paper she says she is writing. Truly in love for the first time in his life, Adam can be persuaded to comply with each of Evelyn's wishes, and it does not take long until he feels good about it, too.

=== Traditional Indian affiliations ===

Adam does not know that to Evelyn he is nothing but an art object, that her academic work consists in changing another human being without their knowledge and, by doing so, creating a work of art. Accordingly, none of the feelings she shows towards Adam are genuine; at no stage in their "relationship" does she fall in love with him; her videotaping their lovemaking is just part of the documentation required to finish the course; and the engagement ring he presents to her in front of a live audience one night at an exhibition gallery where she finally reveals her project is just the final proof that she has passed.

Rao is a name most frequently found in the class of Indians who are wealthy landowners, upper castes, and those who occupy a highly respected place in society. In Rajasthan, the name generally denotes affiliation to the royal [[Rajput]] caste or [[Jat]], the traditional landowners of the area. In Punjab and Haryana, the name "Rai" is generally found in landowning families, often of the [[Kshattriya]] caste. In the south-western state of Karnataka, the last name Rao is usually maintained by various denominations of [[Brahmins]] and other wealthy land-owning classes. The surname "Rai" is also found in the coastal part of Karnataka. Rai is also associated with the land owning [[Bhumihar]] [[Brahmins]] of UP and Bihar.

While it is most often associated with particular castes, Rao does not necessarily denote a caste affiliation, particularly in Southern India and Maharashtra, since people of every caste have adopted the surname. In Maharashtra and Karnataka, the suffix "Rao" / "Rayaru" is often used in casual conversation as an honorific for people whose surname is something else. This usage indicates the origin of the word itself, which dates at least to the Vijayanagara Empire, in which the emperor was referred to as "Raya". In addition, Rao is sometimes used by the subaltern castes in other parts of India (for example, in Haryana it may refer to [[Yadav]]s, also known as Ahirrao.

Publicly humiliated and devastated beyond hope of ever fully recovering, Adam confronts Evelyn and, for once, demands an explanation of her. But all she says is that he could be grateful to her: She claims that, objectively speaking, she has had a positive influence on his life, making him a more attractive and healthier person. Having finished her studies, Evelyn leaves the town soon afterwards.

== Rao's of Pakistan ==

The majority of Raos in Pakistan are Muslim [[Rajputs]]. Raos can be found all across Pakistan and are found in large numbers in the Punjab Province.

== Rao's of China and Taiwan ==

(note: not in reference to a common male name, but [[surname]] only)<br />

The surname Rao is found in China and Taiwan. However, it is not limited to just those geographical areas, but also also found in many other places in the world.

[[Image:rao_surname.jpg]]

[[Chinese language|Chinese]] surname RAO (饒) - [[Traditional Chinese]]: 饒

[[Pinyin]]: Rao;

Meanings : ''abundant; plentiful; to spare; to forgive;''.<br />

The surname Rao is approximately 2200 years old.

It's origin derives from

[[Ji Fa]] (®Vµo), the leader of the powerful Zhou Clan (©P±Ú), destroyed the

[[Shang Dynasty]] (°Ó´Â 1783BC to 1122BC) and established the [Zhou Dynasty]

(©P´Â 1134BC to 256BC). Ji Fa was installed as Zhou King Wu (©PªZ¤ý) who

moved his capital from Qi Shan (ª[¤s present day Qi Shan city in Shaanxi

province ÔE¦è¬Ù) to Hao (Âî present day Xi An ¦è¦w city in [[Shaanxi]]

province). <br />

[[King Wu of Zhou]] inherited a vast country, but the primitive communications at

that time made it impossible to govern such a big country efficiently. He

was desperately in need of capable personnel to administer his empire. So

he delegated authority to his relatives, officials, generals and

aristocrats to rule on his behalf. By doing so he created a large number

of vassal States in the land. No one really knew how many of them.

According to the historical records there were more than 170 vassal States

during the Zhou Dynasty. All the vassal States must acknowledged Zhou King

Wu and later the future Kings' suzerainty. <br />

Zhou King Wu rewarded his commander-in-chief named Jiang Zi Ya («¸¤l¤ú)

with authority to rule a district called Ying Qiu (Àç¥C present day Lin Zi

county Á{²d¿¤ in [[Shandong]] province ¤sªF¬Ù). Zhou King Wu also bestowed

upon him the inheritable title of Hou («J) or Marquis. District of Ying

Qiu was renamed as the [[State of Qi]] (»ô°ê). Jiang Zi Ya was known as Jiang

Hou. He appointed an official to administer a settlement called Rao An

(ÄǦw present day in the area of Qing Zhou «C¦{ city in Shandong

province). <br />

In 543BC Zhao Wu Xu (»¯µL¨ù), a powerful general in the armed forces of

the State of [[Jin]] (®Ê°ê present day Yi Cheng county Ál«°¿¤ in Shanxi

province ¤s¦è¬Ù), plotted with two of the most powerful families in the

State: the family of [[Han]] (Áú), and the family of [[Wei]] (ÃQ) to have the

State of Jin carved up into three States. These three States were: the

State of Zhao (»¯°ê present day Han Dan county ÍÕèX in [[Hebei]] province

ªe¥_¬Ù), the State of Wei (ÃQ°ê present day An Yi county ¦w¨¶¿¤ in Shanxi

province) and the State of Han (Áú°ê present day Lin Fen county Á{¨W¿¤ in

Shanxi provunce). <br />

Dao Xiang Wang (±¥Á¸¤ý) was the ruler of the State of [[Zhao]]. He ruled Zhao

from 244BC to 235BC. There was a general by the name Pang Nuan (Ãe•Ü) in

the Zhao armed forces. In 241BC the States of Zhao and Yan (¿P°ê present

day Beijing ¥_¨Êcity in Hebei province) were at war. Pang Nuan, who was in

command of the Zhao forces, defeated the Yan army. The State of Qi was in

friendly term with the State of Qin (¯³°ê present day Feng Xiang county

»ñµ¾¿¤ in Shaanxi province). The State of Zhao was in antagonism with the

State of Qin. In order to show the State of Qi that it should not be in

friendly term with Qin, Pang Nuan occupied the town called Rao. <br />

An which was under the jurisdiction of Qi. General Pang Nuan told Qi that

he would not withdrew unless Qi broke off the friendship with Qin.

However, the ruler of the State of Qi did not budge and General Pang Nuan

annexed Rao An as a part of the State of Zhao. <br />

The offspring of the administrator of Rao An adopted RAO as their surname

in remembrance of their extinct city. <br />

The surname Rao originated in an area referred to during the Han Dynasty

(º~´Â 206BC to 220AD) as the Ping Yang Prefecture (¥¬¶§°p). The present

day Ping Yang Prefecture is in [[Linfen]] county in [[Shanxi]] province. <br />

(cited from: [http://www.asiawind.com/pub/forum/fhakka/mhonarc/msg02068.html], 4/11/2007)

{{Sectstub}}

== Rao's of Italy ==

The [[Sicily|Sicilian]]-Italian surname Rao is pronounced in the Italian language similarly to the Indian pronunciation, although in the United States many Raos of Italian descent pronounce the name "RAY-O." One such example is Rao's in New York City. The name arrived in Sicily via Persian settlers and is currently used by many Italians as their surname.

== Rao's of Brazil ==

Most of the people with Rao surname in Brazil are the descendants of Italian settlers in Brazil. Quite a few people in Brazil still have Rao as their surname.

== Noteworthy Rao's ==

* [[PV Narasimha Rao]], Former Indian Prime Minister whose family name (surname) is Pamulaparti

* [[Lala Lajpat Rai]]: Punjabi freedom fighter

* [[N. T. Rama Rao]]: Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh;Founder Telugu Desam Party, whose family name (surname) is Nandamuri

* [[C. R. Rao|Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao]] (C. R. Rao), famous statistician, whose family name (surname) is Calyampudi

* [[V. K. R. V. Rao]]: Noted Indian economist.

* [[Bajirao|Baji Rao]]: Peshwa of the Maratha Empire; all the Peshwas bore the name "Rao"

* Sayaji Rao III Gaekwad: Benevolent ruler (Maharaja) of Baroda, Gujarat, whose family name (surname) is Gaekwad

* Kiran Stanford Rao: Noted Indian Explorer

* [[Samethanahalli Rama Rao]] (or Raya): Well known Kannada writer

* Nandoori Subba Rao: Famous Telugu poet, whose family name (surname) is Nandoori

* Rao Tula Ram -- Famous Freedom fighter of Haryana/Punjab

*[[ U R Rao]] - Former ISRO Chief.

* [[R.Gundu Rao]] former Chief Minister of [[Karnataka]].

* Nirupama Rao - Indian Diplomat [IFS]

* Amrita Rao - Model & Bollywood actress.

* Sunita Rao - Pop artist

* Joe Rao - Former Navy LCDR & Skyraider pilot & founder of RAO Electric

* Jay Rao - Chief Marketing Officer at OA International (www.oa.com)

[[Category:Surnames]]

[[Category:Indian family names]]

[[Category:Italian surnames]]

[[Category:Chinese family names]]