Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Birthday Blues !!
"Happy Birthday"
This tradition has continued for millions of years, I guess. But what are we wishing the person about? About the existence of the person on this planet for X no. of years OR about the existence of the person on this planet for the next (Y-X) no. of years OR about how comfortably the person has spent the last year doing nothing worthwhile OR reminding the person "One more year less Dude!!".
There was a time in my childhood when I wished to grow old fast and reach 18 years and become independent and other usual teenage stuff. There was also a time when, at 22, I wanted to stop growing old. Now I have reached a age (on the other side of twenty five) where I want to grow old backwards. This is the famous problem in Anthropology where "A human being wants to grow as fast as possible to the adulthood only to crave to become a child again".
Why is such an importance given to just one day when your life is defined by the 364 other days in the year? Maybe its somehow linked to the Nirvana theory. The celebrations are due to the fact that you did so many bad deeds in your previous life that you were born again into this world; and end up celebrating that day every year with similar kind of human beings. Wierd but according to the Hindu tradition, this precisely is the reason - You were a past-life-evil and now you are celebrating your failure-to-attain-Nirvana with other evils.
Above might sound a little cynical, but frankly, I am trying to find the answer to the question "Why Birthday?". Anyways, till then I'll continue to celebrate this day with all the moolah and the "thank-yous" that I can muster.
This tradition has continued for millions of years, I guess. But what are we wishing the person about? About the existence of the person on this planet for X no. of years OR about the existence of the person on this planet for the next (Y-X) no. of years OR about how comfortably the person has spent the last year doing nothing worthwhile OR reminding the person "One more year less Dude!!".
There was a time in my childhood when I wished to grow old fast and reach 18 years and become independent and other usual teenage stuff. There was also a time when, at 22, I wanted to stop growing old. Now I have reached a age (on the other side of twenty five) where I want to grow old backwards. This is the famous problem in Anthropology where "A human being wants to grow as fast as possible to the adulthood only to crave to become a child again".
Why is such an importance given to just one day when your life is defined by the 364 other days in the year? Maybe its somehow linked to the Nirvana theory. The celebrations are due to the fact that you did so many bad deeds in your previous life that you were born again into this world; and end up celebrating that day every year with similar kind of human beings. Wierd but according to the Hindu tradition, this precisely is the reason - You were a past-life-evil and now you are celebrating your failure-to-attain-Nirvana with other evils.
Above might sound a little cynical, but frankly, I am trying to find the answer to the question "Why Birthday?". Anyways, till then I'll continue to celebrate this day with all the moolah and the "thank-yous" that I can muster.
