I love my birthday and ever since I look forward to it every year.
02/01/1983
“Happy Birthday Mehra!” Mummy gently wakes me up. I stir and feel groggy, effects of having slept late the night before since I was too excited, wanting to help out in decorating for my party. As I slowly open my eyes and get a kiss on my forehead, my lips curl into a slow but a big, wide smile. Realisation dawns – I am turning 8 today! I hug my mother and jump out of bed ready to begin my day. After the traditional ‘dudh-ful’ (milk-flower) bath, I get ready for the traditional ‘sagan’ where mummy makes me stand on a ‘patlo’ (short stool) and along with all the traditional offerings of a tika, flowers, a coconut and rice, I get my birthday gift which in the later years was given as cash in a ‘parbidiya’ (envelope). I am wearing my pretty, new dress which as the birthday girl I am allowed to wear in school today. I grab my bag and more important my pack of sweets (Ravalgaon mixed flavours) and hurry down to the car to take me to school.
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| ‘Sagan’ on my 8th birthday |
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| School friends at my 9th birthday party |
It usually starts at 6:00 pm with my pretty friends walking in with prettier looking gifts. I place all the gifts in my room trying my best not to take a peek through any of them while the party is on. Wafers, boiled eggs, chutney sandwiches all start coming out and when Mum is done with the kitchen and everyone gets busy, she comes out to make us play our party games. ‘Simon says..Do this- do that’, she shouts out.
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| Playing ‘Simon says…’ |
“Pass the parcel slowly girls,” she admonishes us when some of us try to rid of the parcel by almost throwing it at each other, but my personal favourite game is 4-corners which I think I am the best at. I am not fond of this game called ‘Statue’ where I always lose since I can never control my laughter! Then of course it is time for cake-cutting. Like all other years, I get to select my own cake design this time as well, which is in the shape of a house. I have had a doll, a puppy, a cat, and even a swimming pool over the years! So its “Happy Birthday” time again at the end of which Mummy puts a big piece of cake into my mouth.
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| The hand behind all the effort |
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| Bursting the balloon filled with confetti |
At the same time the extra-large balloon that Mummy carefully stuffed yesterday with all kinds of lovely things and which was waiting for this particular moment is burst over my head showering me and most others with all the confetti, candies, pencils, erasers, whistles, buttons and whatever else! A mad scramble ensues and we are down on all fours trying to collect as many as possible. Meanwhile mum tries to take the cake away before it is attacked upon for its characters, but I still manage to dive in and take a nice, big piece for my dog who has been greedily watching me so far, drooling all over the place.
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| On my 10th birthday with my dog, Andy. |
Finally the table is cleared for the last part of the party – Dinner! Big heavy dishes start walking out of the kitchen and laid down carefully. But I have already had my fill of wafers and cake, so food doesn’t interest me too much. Mummy’s fruit salad after that is always a treat though and I heavily tuck into it. By the time the last guest leaves our house it is already quite late but not late enough to open my presents and I run to my room to start unwrapping the first of my many marvellous gifts!
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| Yet another giggling moment! |
As I was searching through old albums looking for party photographs for this blog, I realised that I did not have to try too hard. There were enough photos taken of every party, every birthday cake, every year for both us sisters. In fact I had a very tough time trying to decide which ones to add here from the whole collection, as every photo carried a memory of the fun, the excitement, the childhood that is now left behind. It is amazing how many friends from the photographs I am still in touch with. Is it thanks to the social networking of today or is it due to the close bond that the society once shared that needed no ‘external’ link to make them communicate!
Among all this, one thing that I am sure about is that none of this – not the memoires, nor the friendships would have been possible without the untiring effort and supreme dedication of this one person in my life – My Mother! It’s MY birthday today only thanks to her!
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| Me, my mum, my sis (my cousin peeping out in the foreground) |
Happy Birthday… Have been visiting this blog, but am commenting for the 1st time. Love the way you have taken us through ur day… Birthdays back then were so special and so much fun.
Hi Falak, thanks for following my blog. Nice to know that you have been reading and enjoying my posts. Yes birthdays in our times were so simple and yet so enjoyable! I have to plan one soon for my boys in March…gives me the jitters!
Wow Mehroo….loved reading the blog and seeing the pictures. It sure brought back some good old memories. Your birthday parties were awesome and enjoyed thoroughly. I remember I would rush my mom to get ready and get me ready so we could get there early!
Happy birthday Mehroo! Lovely post here and how nice to remember your mom on this special day! You have had some wonderful birthday parties, I agree those childhood parties are so much fun and so memorable! Really enjoyed reading this. Hope you have a great day and a wonderful year ahead!
Hi Reena,
Thanks so much. Yes the parties were so much fun, enough for me to write a blog upon! The best part is that even today most of my school friends remember my party, in fact some details out here were given thanks to their help! And my mum always invited the WHOLE class, no matter what.
Keep reading…
Hey Kavita, I am so happy I finally got you to come here and comment. Thanks for taking the effort. I love the giggly photo where Preeti, Amanda and I are tickling you, it is you – right? Come for a visit to HK soon.
Many many many more happy returns of the day Mehroo. Sweet and lovely photographs! Thanks for sharing your memories 🙂
Many Happy Returns, Mehroo:)
This was a very sweet recollection from your childhood diary, Mehroo! I could hear the fun, the laughter and all those sweet little giggles in all your pictures. Mums always know best and never fail to make it the most special for us… Wish you many many happy returns of the day, God Bless You 🙂
Thank you Amit! Thank you for visiting my blog.
Hi Valli,
Thanks so much for your good wishes. Glad to know that your enjoyed reading this post. Sometimes I just can't decide what gives me more happiness – writing posts or getting nice comments?
Dear Arti, this is such a wonderful compliment coming from an experienced blogger like you. When someone tells me that they laughed with my blog or had tears in their eyes like for 'In Fond memory of my Pappa' post, it gives me so much satisfaction and full motivation to write yet another one! Thank you for visiting, thank you for your comment and blessings.
Hi Mehroo, I just read this blog and it made me smile. You look absolutely adorable as a little girl… and full marks for diving in to swoop a piece of cake for Andy 😀
Your blog was great to read and your happpiness celebrating your birthdays contagious and made me smile as I read it 🙂 Keep the happiness going and have fabulous and memorable birthday parties for your boys xxx
This post brings back beautiful childhood memories. Infact it reminded me of my childhood birthday parties which I enjoyed so much :)Loved to see the beautiful family pics.
Dear Mehernaaz,
Thanks for such a sweet comment. Glad to know that I made you smile and gave you a relaxed moment in your hectic working day, were you having your coffee at the same time? Yes I do intend to keep the tradition going for the boys year-after-year. Thank you.
Hi Diana, I loved going through my childhood albums over and over again and would be very happy if someone would come and sit next to me and give me a chance to talk about each memory, each photograph. Thanks to technology today I can do just that! Thanks for your comment and do keep visiting my blog often.
Hi, Just popped in through Indiblogger but glad that I got to know more about your blog, your life and family. First of all, belated birthday greetings!. It was truly sentimental to read the post about your papa. You are lucky that you spent some quality time with him a month before.
My perspective is that we are all given a chance to direct a movie called LIFE. At the end only we watch when we get old. So, there's no editing to it. Hence, we need to make learned choices in life.
If time permits, please do visit my blog.
Best of luck.
Hi Fayaz, Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment. As a blogger you would know how good it feels to get one, specially a nice one like yours! I like your perspective about life and while we do try to make the best choices, sometimes it is nice to go with the flow. After all we all like "masala" in our movies too 🙂
Will surely try to see your blog soon. Thanks again.
Woww, even I have been always excited about my birthdays!1 And that excitement is something I will never give up even when I get old! Really enjoyed reading through and lovely photographs indeed! Kudos!!
Hi Kriti, welcome to my blog. I believe this is your first comment out here, so a big thank you! Thank you again for your lovely compliment and nice to know that someone else shares the 'birthday' passion too. Stay tuned for more 🙂
Hi Mehroo ! I have nominated your name for the Liebster Blog award. Please follow the instructions provided in the link below
http://dianasmusings.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/liebster-blog-award/
Congratulations Mehroo and Happy Blogging 🙂
Hi Diana,
An award! WOW! My first one ever so thank you so much for nominating my blog. Since this is my very first I clicked into the link right away and read the instructions. If I am correct I am supposed to answer al those questions, etc and put it up as a post right and also nominate 11 others. Interesting! Is there any history or other information to this award? Is it ok to use that Liebster image that you have on your post? Sorry silly questions, just very excited and want to make sure I do the right thing. Thanks again!
WoW, you made me completely nostalgic with your recount! Love the way you blend your emotions so beautifully into words! Great writing – simple and honest! 🙂 Thumbs Up!
Dear Karuna, Thanks so much. It is these kind of words and comments that encourage me to write better, to write more. Keep visiting!
Made me soooo nostalgic.. I had forgotten what birthdays were like in school! Thank u for bringing it all back!
U look so pretty in all the pics. And the giggles pic is ADORABLE..
Hi there, glad to know you could relive your memories with mine! I had so much fun writing this one.
This brought back so many sweet memories, Mehroo! I literally went back in time for a few moments. Loved reading it.. A big hug to you and give one to Arnavaz aunty on my behalf. I think of her every time I play “Do this Do that” with my kids in school 🙂
You play “Do This Do That” with your school kids! Will certainly let mum know that 🙂 Your kids are blessed to have you as their teacher. Thanks so much for reading!