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!
