HAPPY BIRThday!!

     “The obsession about birthdays stems from the intense fear of an individual that his or her existence might not matter to anyone else”

Ram Gopal Varma speaks and I quote.

                  Birthdays have always been special for every human being despite the age, gender, religion, caste and nationality barriers. Along with differences in rituals there are varied differences in celebrating a birthday too. Be it the 75^th or the 1^st birthday the pomp and show of a birthday has gained newer heights. As i step into my adulthood with this birthday, I was obsessed with writing about everybody's favourite day of the year.

                              As a kid, I distinctly remember literally counting days to my birthday even weeks before the day. The intense planning would follow like making some interesting games at school or planning the dress I would wear on MY day! But really nothing could beat the anxiety of the gifts that were to come in the evening and the dishes that my grandma would cook for all my friends. And of course the painful birthday bombs. Why do you hit the person on a happy day? Friends do get mean and drop you from a height that time.

                         The attraction of a birthday has been made by our own culture. In earlier times grand pujas and distribution of food and clothing would mark the birthday of an upper caste individual whereas a day off from work was the only birthday gift affordable by the so-called lower castes. As time moved forward and globalization and influence of western culture entered every sphere and strata of India, the culture of special birthday gifts, birthday dresses and birthday cakes made way into every birthday party. There were times people would scowl and comment “haw! she doesn’t have a birthday cake in her party! She might be poor!” Depending on the caste there are different rituals and ways of celebrating a birthday. On one side where Maharashtrians do a small arti of the birthday boy, Punjabis groove to high volume DJ and south Indians celebrate 2 birthdays. Whatever might be the way, all cultures have instilled in us the fact that birthdays are YOUR days. The day when YOU are the STAR of the day. Some schools have the policy of allowing the child to wear any civil dress on his/her birthday.

Birthday parties have transformed a great deal too. From small parties at home with home-cooked food, the parties have gradually shifted to movie treats or meals in restaurants, not forgetting the lounges. Is the change for good or bad? I do not know. Depends on the host, the guest and the place.

                                             If you are the type of a person who doesn’t get excited at such occasions, not to worry, each of us has one that type of friend who will call you in middle of the day and scream “abeeeee tera birthday aaraha pagal, kuch excitement hai ya nahi.” For me Purva Kale does that deed! J love you batty! <3

                          Be it your first birthday when your parents throw a great party for you, of which you remember nothing! Or your thirteenth birthday when you step into your teens and every one tells you about how you are at a new threshold in your life. I don’t know why is the sweet sixteen birthday so special but still, it is. Or be it your eighteenth birthday, when you are constitutionally an adult, irrespective of whether your elders consider you one or not! Or may be the twenty first for some. It’s the official drinking age.

Intense planning goes on for that day and from 12 midnight your phone refuses to keep quiet and your facebook wall is the most visited that day. People who you haven’t spoken to for years will suddenly come out of the mist and shower blessings and greetings on you and you suddenly feel so important.

             Some people take birthdays as an excuse to ask your parents for anything you want, after all its YOUR birthday, they cannot scold you. Can they?

                                Yes, birthdays do have a special importance and you do not want anything to go wrong that day, not even a strand out of place. Be it the 1re. chocolates you have to distribute at school or the shape of the cake you want to cut that evening, from the special return gifts at the party or the outfit you finally decided on to put on that evening. Or may be the way your friends turn malnourished and keep pestering you for a party.

                    Even as I step into a responsible adult, a part of me wants to be that careless, effortless kid. For me birthday is THE day I wait for the whole year through. Beginning from midnight calls, going through a small party with friends, one with the family and a visit to the temple, the only thing I hate is when my calendar shows 12^th july. Birthday over! Darn! Back to the normal life. Its amazing how I love the strike of 12 at 11^th july and how I hate the same on 12^th. But then there is that hope of a better birthday to look forward to. And it is my friends who make it a great day! Thankyou guys!

Hoping for a great 18^th birthday tomorrow!! 

P.S.- I will never forget the small birthday treats at checkers or joshi vada pav after tiring tuitions @all yukti people! J