It was happiest birthday ever!

As usual at 12, it started with birthday bumps from flatmates and white makeup with cake! It was totally expected!!! Thanks dosto.. Dosti nibhane ke liye.. :p

Morning went with kids at orphanage. We played one game which I used to play while I was a kid. People sit in circle and put their hands on ground and one person goes around in circle from one hand to next saying "adko dadko dai daduko!" It was fun! Few of them are wonderful dancers or Judo champions. Just imagine, with a small support from people like us where they can reach! They also showed me their handmade crafts and creations. It was fun time with them!

When I left for my office at around 9.30AM, I never knew that there is a shocking surprise on my way! When I entered on floor and glanced at my cubical, my heartbeats instantly doubled. I cannot explain the feeling in words. Although my cubical is hardly 20 steps away from door, I almost took 2 minutes to reach there. I was speechless while exploring that small villa! :p It was fun to see that my friends and juniors decorated whole cubical (not only mine but also 3 other empty cubicles besides mine!). There was invitation card of my surprise wedding. Desktop screen was covered with Hannah Montana pics! Cubical walls were posted with glamorous pics from newspapers! And there were balloons floating with messages. And one balloon with “Just Divorced” message! :) Extraordinary prank! Hats off to all who put their precious time and effort making my day! Thank you very very much friends!!

In between many people wished me and explored that awesome work done by fantastic people. Two close friends ordered my birthday sweets since I was jam-packed with some work. After lunch, I met few friends and said good byes since I was about to leave. Before I left office, one friend helped me make my cubical look exactly same it was earlier. We wrapped up everything and I saved all nice decorations in my drawer and kept balloons on my desk. I never expected a gift on that day. However, I got one from a person to whom I used to scold a lot. Thanks a lot everyone!

After all this, it was time to meet my family 700 miles away. Without a due I left my office at 3, took metro from Noida and headed towards airport. I was thinking how my day is passing. All those late night bumps, cute little smiles of kids, the most shocking surprise by friends and juniors (you people are really awesome!) and of course good byes with close friends. I was also thinking what will be the reaction when I'll meet my grandfather. What my mom and dad will say. How I'll meet my uncle. With so many thoughts I reached to IGI T3.

While checking in my bag, I handed my ticket to crew member at check-in counter and as-usually asked how is she doing? Her reaction was, "Thank you sir.. koi to aaya jisne pu6a mai kaisi hun.. I am good. How are you? How's your day going?" I smiled and replied while handing her my voter ID card, “I am just doing fine.” She verified my details and was about to return it and meanwhile I interrupted her and asked if she can verify my ID. She confusingly asked "sorry?" I asked, "Can you please check my DOB?" She looked inside and within a moment her smile came back. She wished me. There were few chocolates I carried for my trip. I offered one to her. And her face seemed so happy! While giving me a boarding pass, she asked me to wait for a moment and she got me 3 chocolates from her purse!! I never expected that. I asked her name and thanked her. Thank you very much Farha!

Now it was time to eat. I wanted to start with something sweet and simple. So I started with yummy donuts. After that, I gave a try to Premium Plaza lounge at IGI T3. As a kid whenever I used to watch movies and see executive lounges, I dreamed about being there, at-least for one time in entire life. It was in my bucket list! Believe me guys, I lived that dream for the first time on this fabulous day. It was leisure experience!

After half an hour, it was time to get on board. So, I walked to gate where I found people waiting in a long queue, although boarding was not yet started. In between, I went to one silent place few meters away and looked at the sky. The sun was playing hide and seek behind clouds. It was incredible to watch sunset! Within 10 minutes, the queue was gone and now it was final call. So, I crossed a gate and went through a lobby connecting to flight. As soon as I took my first step inside plane, I got warm welcome from a cabin crew members. I greeted them and just after offered them chocolates telling "it’s my birthday". I could see their smiling faces were now full of joy! The crew lead took my seat number and told me "you brought us chocolate, we'll have surprise for you, sir." Omg! Again it was totally unexpected! After a minute I reached my seat, put my handbag and got comfortable on seat. On my right side there was a person of my dad's age. After 2-3 minutes, a flight attendant came and greeted him personally since he was "Platinum Member" of JetPrevilage program. After that, I started a discussion with him asking what that program is and then it kept going. I never knew that it was just a starting of an hour long discussion; precisely one and a half hour with a man who is also an engineer of 80’s batch and studied in electrical field; and keeps travelling every month! In between, crew members gave all instructions.

It was just 10 minutes passed and plane suddenly started towards runway. At that time, one of crew member came to my seat and asked me to join them in front row. I went there and found that they had prepared an awesome pastry in such a small time. On the plate, "Happy Birthday" was also written with chocolate cream! WoW! We had a few pics altogether and then I started with cake cutting. Although they were strangers to me, but this kind gesture of “Jet Airways cabin crew” deeply penetrated me. Thank you so much! You people made my day!

After that moment I was walking past front rows and people were staring at me like I did something terribly wrong! And one crew member told everyone, "We were just celebrating his birthday. It's his birthday!” And everyone laughed, “hahaha..”

I comfortably set and put seat-belt on. Within a minute, we took off from Asia's longest runway at IGI airport, New Delhi. It was indeed a best flight journey ever!

After almost one and half hour, when we landed in Ahmedabad it just started to drizzle. I love rain and I think this was a gift from an almighty god to welcome me in my hometown! Outside airport I met my dad. I didn't know where he get the wind that it's going to rain, he carried two raincoats. So it was clear signal from him that we'll not be waiting till rain stops. We put our raincoats and started towards my home in Gandhinagar, which is around half an hour from Ahmedabad. It was like an old days when I used to pedal cycle with my friends in rain. :) Thanks dad for making my day!

When I reached home at almost 11’o clock late night, I got another surprise from my sister and Jiju, who lives almost 7000 miles away in Canada. They ordered cake in advance and shipped at our home in afternoon itself. My mom made full preparation with cake and background lighting. The whole family set down and celebrated this day full of joy. Thank you rajja (Me and my grandpa call each other by this name!!), mammy and my uncle. Special thanks to my Didi and Jiju!!

After that my mom asked me if we should proceed for dinner. I was surprised that my parents who usually takes dinner at 8.30PM, were still waiting for me at around 11.30PM!! It was my favorite dish, Daal Bati. :)

We talked over dinner about my whole day, showed them pics of cubical and orphanage home. In the end, while we were about to finish dinner, my sister called over phone and told me what she sent me. My mom understood everything and suddenly stood up and went to her room. When she returned she was carrying a bag. She opened in front of us and there were two gifts inside. One was from a beautiful couple waiting for my smile in Canada, my didi and Jiju. Thank you didi and jiju. You really made my day! Sorry you made my evening! (Pun intended! :p) The other from my mom and dad. I was really speechless. I couldn't thank my parents. I just looked into their eyes and felt their simple smile.

After all this I went to my room, put my earbuds, closed my eyes and remembered whole day and then went into the enigma of life thinking how far I have reached from the inception of my life. It definitely seems philosophical but it’s true! We mostly realize that we’ve just gained one year or we just aged one more year or we are now one year older than the day before; all this on our birthdays! Birthdays are the actual day when we measure our progress knowingly or unknowingly. Because, many of us decide new goals; and also align ourselves on-track for promises made to ourselves on past birthdays. That’s how life keeps moving. Anyways, that’s all.. Few things should be kept personal. Haha.. :)

Last but not the least, thank you so much everyone for putting their effort making my day extra fabulous. I am so pleased to have people like you in my life. I hope one day I can do some favor in any possible way to make your moment! I love you all!

It was happiest birthday ever!