Birthdays are usually the occasions for rejoicing and feasting. Relatives and friends gather on the occasion and wish many happy returns of the day and offer their blessings.They bring with them beautiful presents.My birthday came off on last Monday. I invited a number of my friends to a feast which my father had arranged. The time of the function was six in the evening. We were all busy in making arrangements the whole day. A special canopy was erected in the big compound of the house. It was tastefully decorated with colorful buntings and balloons. Tables were laid and covered with white sheets. A big birthday cake was placed on the central table. By 4 P.M. everything was ready.

The guests now began to arrive one by one. My father received them at the gate of the canopy. At exact six, my father led me to the table. I lighted the candles. The guests clapped. I then blew out the candles and cut the cake. The guests all sang in a chorus ‘happy birthday to you, Subash’, happy birthday to you! I accepted their greetings with folded hands.

Now the party began. The guests were served with tea, pakoras and other sweets. All of them did full justice to it. The bearers ran here and there with the trays. The party was over and the guests began to depart. They offered me the presents they had brought with them. My father thanked them all for their visit. I went to my room to take stock of the gifts I had received. I counted them all and found that I had received a number of valuable things which were of immense use to me.

I was now dead tired. The day had been full of great excitement and I therefore went to bed and was soon sound a sleep. The memory of this day will remain fresh in my mind for years to come.