First Birthdays

So I will admit that I never really quite understood why big parties were thrown for a first birthday.  I understood that it was celebrating the first year, but really ... their not going to remember any of it and most of the presents received at age 1 are long gone.

Of course, then Korvin was born (my nephew) and there was no way I was missing his first birthday.  I was taking time off work, flying across the country, to make sure I was there to celebrate.  It all started making a little more sense to me when he was born.  I'll admit, I still don't quite understand the parties with fifty plus people showing up, but I definitely appreciate having your family and a few close friends coming.  For Korvin's birthday I had a great time playing with him, spending time with everyone, and was thoroughly bummed when I couldn't make it out for his second birthday.  I know he won't remember I wasn't there, but I still wanted to be there.

Then I was introduced to a whole other kind of first birthday celebration last Friday night.  This is the second birthday party in India I have attended - I was here for Ankur's daughter's third birthday as well.  So I thought I had an idea what to expect for Yuvi's birthday, Ankur's son.  But not quite.  The party was held in the same location as the wedding I attended in January.  There was likely over 200 people who showed up, clowns, a DJ, open bar, waiters coming around with appetizers, and a fully catered buffet.  I promise this was not all family, I know Ankur's family and some of his wife's but there were many other people as well.  Nearly our whole office was there, as well as many from the office next door.  The party officially started at seven but most people did not show up until after 8, and it lasted until midnight when your car got locked in.  If you were taking a taxi home you could stay a little later. 

This really was a whole new experience.  It reminded me more of a reception after a wedding in the US, and less like a birthday.  Comparing it to a wedding reception is the closest I can get, but I still don't feel like that is quite right.  Mainly because of the venue.  The hall and outside patio and garden was reserved solely for our party.  So while there was at least 200 people there, 2000 or more people could have attended.  There were tables to sit down at but not quite enough for everyone so there was a lot of mingling.  There was a big announcement when they cut the cake.  Several people in the family (wedding party) changed clothes after the cake cutting.  Who besides the one year old and other young kids changed clothes at our first birthdays - okay maybe the parents if they kids have a little too much fun with the cake.  But it was like changing into a more comfortable dress for the reception.  I was constantly being asked if I had eaten, did I need another drink, was I having fun? And afterward, groups of people split off to hang out some more.  Not that there is much open in Dehradun at 12:30am. 

Overall, it was a lot of fun.  Great food as always, and another experience.  Another insight to the culture here - the importance of the first birthday.

Tourist Attraction

When you come to India you want to see the Taj Mahal, the markets, the grave sites of Mahatma and Indira Gandhi, and enjoy the food.  You don't expect to be the tourist attraction yourself.  I don't think I quite believed my parents when they told me they were stopped at the Taj Mahal by random strangers to be part of their pictures.  They had photographic proof, but I still couldn't quite wrap my head around it.  This is my second trip to India and I have been here for over two months now, and not once had I been stopped and asked to be part of a picture.

Then at Kempty Falls near Mussorie (a hill station in the foothills of the Himalayas) I had my first experience.  And for the next few days, walking around Mussorie, Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun, I was part of not only photos with my family, but photos with many random strangers.  Below are a few examples.  The baby in the upper right photo was just handed to me - they were kind enough to take her back as soon as she started fussing.  And the girl in the lower left photo is dressed in traditional Kashmiri (I believe) dress.  These could be rented at stands all around Mussorie and Kempty Falls.

After this experience the only thing I could identify that set these trips to Mussorie and Haridwar apart from all my other trips was my parents, aunt, and uncle.  I was walking around with four other obvious foreigners instead of four other Indians.  On every other tourist trip around the country I had taken, I was with several of my colleagues.  I was the minority surrounded and talking with my colleagues so no one was willing to break our circle and ask for a picture.  I knew my colleagues here protected me, but I hadn't quite realized how much.  This is definitely a benefit, I get to see more uninterrupted when I'm not the tourist attraction.