Cheers!!

Yesterday it was a friend’s birthday. We went down to his place to wish him. There was a party at his place. People went had dinner…wished him...gave him a few bumps...but it was very civilized. The bday boy was taken out to a club then and just outside the club there was a second celebration. God only knows how he survived!!! This led me to wonder …

Birthdays bring joy!! People are happy and cheerful that day. The individual generally tends to celebrate life. Friends and family join the celebration and express their happiness.

Birthdays when u are a toddler are the most fun. You get a whole lot of gifts. The one game/toy that you have been yearning for if yours. Uncles, aunts, cousins all of them storm your house. They all bring huge gifts; you get to cut a funny shaped cake. All our friends come over and you have a gala time. Maybe the only painful thing is the relatives pulling and pinching your cheeks. You are treated as a soft toy by all those “Didis”

Then u start going to school. Generally your name is written on the corner of the notice board under the bold heading “birthday”. The class sings the melodious bday song and you stand in the front of the class beaming like a politician who just won an election. You distribute chocolates. The celebration at home kind of looses its sheen. The gathering is a small one. Only close friends and family. The gifts reduce a little.

And then in the next phase of life, Engineering. Experiences are kind of similar across colleges. A few min before the midnight the bday boy disappears. As soon as the clock strikes midnight, you can hear a distant sound of a mob. I call it a mob as you would never have seen a more unruly bunch of people. They are similar to the Trojan soldiers. Within a few min they broke open your door, and without any warning you are taken out into the corridor. All your friends are there, but rest assured you won’t be happy to see them. The complete football team is there in complete gear. And then becomes the painful concept of bumps. They continue until the bday boy is hardly able to stand. The bday boy is unable to sit, stand or even move an inch for the next few days.

I am sure many people would relate to the above description of the celebration. But then last year I had a very unique celebration. We were introduced to a concept of dunking. You are taken to the common area; there first you are dunked with clean water. This celebration is somewhat similar to sacrificing a lamb. The dunking with clean water ensures that the sacrifice is clean. You are prepared for the sacrifice; this part involves having two dozen eggs being broken on your head and the bday cake, which u would have enjoyed eating, on your face. Then the slaughter which is lead again by the agile and powerful football team.

Well I do wonder what is the pleasure that we derive by beating the bday boy in a manner which makes him regret the fact that he was born. Well can’t we be human, cant we stop this devilish way. Well we can...but I guess I ll wonder about that later…sorry but it is my roommates bday today…it is celebration time. Have to go find my football shoes J