Birthday

जन्म दिन पर खास (Special on the birth day)
The full moon after 3 days:

This is how my mother used to answer my question (by relating it with my grand mother’s visit) about my birth day...”When you were born, my mother had visited me, and she (my grand mother) had said that today is Saturday and the day after tomorrow is the full moon and I have to reach there to do something...”   

Pandit ji had marked the calendar:

I also remember, during my childhood my mother had reaffirmed that one of the Pandit ji (Pad-da, पद दा ) who was from Kulethi had ‘teepped (टीप लिया)’ my birthday on his regional calendar (patarha) when I was born.  So when we (will) need the Janm Patri, the birth document (mostly for marriage purpose those days), we can simply request him to make yours”.  I used to wonder, why we should wait for that day to make the birth document.  Of course, in due course of time- Pad-da passed away... .

Astrologers failed:

When one of our relatives (who is an experience astrologer, now lives in Mumbai) visited Haldwani while my mother was with me.  The question of birth document was attempted. Within a short while, it turned out that the Saturday does not fit with the full moon etc.

8-10 days older than him:

There were a few other possibilities of finding out my birthday. For example, my childhood friend (now an excellent driver) Hira Singh (of Malla Pados) was born some 8-10 days here or there with me!

Difficult times:

I was born somewhere in the sixties in the foothills of Himalaya (in Champawat) in a family of a farmer mother and father. Mother was a hard working person, had about 13 children out of which 6 of us have survived. It is not that only me-who does not remember my birthday - as I was a day old when I was born, all my 5 siblings sincerely do not do so.  This tells tons about the preference of the lifestyles of 1960s and 2010s.

Got married without the Janam Patri:

I got married in 1994 with my wife whose birthday is known exactly.  In our beloved country we have a famous convention of JANAM PATRI (जन्म पत्री ) matching  before one gets married. At the time of fixing my marriage, my mother was living with me in NainiTal.  She was in her late seventies during 1993-1994. I used to ask her about the day of my birth (so that the birth document can be passed on to any one who insists for).  However, with the broad-minded thinking of my father-in-law the hurdle was crossed without any fuss.

The first cake:

The only day I cut the birthday cake for the first time was when one of my Japanese family friends celebrated my birthday in Japan, in 1992!   The second one I remember is about 2 years back and the third one today: 15^th Jan 2013, when my family has bought another cake! I must follow the 'modern' times.

The tasty food of that day:

Today, I remember vividly (I did this every time when I heard of any birthday) once  my mother had  put “TIKA (टीका) ” on my forehead, and had declared: "Today is your birth day"!  I remember the tasty dal-bhat (दाल -भात) .  I had on the occasion.  But I was too young to know the importance of the birthday then.  That day and this day, I do not know when is my the real birthday.

Greetings of the day:

Birthdays were not supposed to be so important those days. Even during my university days (not to talk about the school days) I do not remember to have celebrated birthday of any of my friends.  I can guarantee- nowadays birthdays are very important. This morning my sons greeted  me with birthday wishes, my nephew did the same, my wife greeted me by gifting a shirt which she bought in discounted rate from a shop in Adyar! 

Time-line on the facebook: Thanks to communication Tech:

The whole day, I am receiving e-mails messages that my “time-line” in the Facebook is receiving birthday greetings! There were 3-4 phone calls (in mobile) as well, which my wife received, even as the IIT exchange was not working!

It is a different thing!  After all, after 48 years of living in this planet, there are people who greet me!

Famous dates as birthdays of 20^th century:

So how is this birthday then?  We do have famous dates in India.  1st January, 26th January, 15th August, 2^nd October etc..  People whose date of births are not known, they get these dates as birthdays.  Similarly, I am sure one of my elder brothers who took me to the school first time must have said it 15 January!

A return gift:

Thank you all for the greetings.

With modesty and changing times, I thank everyone to remember me also on my "birthday".  Thank you everybody. I hope you enjoyed this return gift.

Prem B Bisht, Jan 15, 2013