Birthday Bash

Like in cricket or the movies, we lay a lot of store by a half-century or a golden jubilee. And so it was that I happened to have a birthday bash a little after I turned fifty, at Pune because many of my family are here.

Starting with my eldest cousin who lives in Mumbai, to one of my nieces also from Mumbai, there were around 25 people who turned up in all for a two-epsiode birthday party. A restaurant called Oasis on NDA road overlooking a valley view below was the venue for lunch. Managed efficiently by two cousins who are good at this sort of thing,we managed to get food served on time to everyone's satisfaction, got a cake cut in between courses, and had a gala time catching up on news and views, with occasional leg-pulling too.

After a nap to catch our breath, we started on leg 2 in the evening. Most people were there, and some more, age groups- 18 to 81. This was more of remembrances, with people reminding me of what I had done to them over the last fifty years. But mostly, I came out Ok from the scan. Of course, everyone was in a generous mood with the festivities floating in the air around us- all our neighbours had also helped by decorating their homes around ours.

Lots of nice cards and letters(handwritten) added to the charm. And a karaoke set gifted to remind me that life is about singing your way through. So I ended with a song (not an age to rock and roll any more) which seemed appropriate to me- Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaate hain jo makaam, woh...phir nahi aate..