I was born on August 24, 1978 AD. It was Bhadra 9, 2035 BS and the day, according to astrological calculations, was Krishnastami – the birthday of Lord Krishna.
In Nepali, they are known as tarekh (for English calendar day), gate (for Nepali calendar day) and tithi (the astrological day). They all fell on the same day in 1978 but then onwards it’s always a mess.
I only remember one instance when both English and Nepali calendar matched otherwise the tarekh, tithi and gate are all on different days – leaving me with a question: when exactly do I celebrate my birthday?
It was a little easy until there was the dawn of Facebook – a social networking service that reminds my birthday to all my friends on August 24.
I used to do a little cultural thing on tithi and a party, if there was any, on gate. Now that Facebook reminds all my friends on a tarekh, I receive hundreds of wishes on that day.
Many people just forget about tithi because it’s too hard to remember for them. But my tithi is easier one – because it’s a festival. Many of my relatives remember that day as my birthday, so I receive lots of wishes on that day too.
The gate-day is which I consider my birthday now seems to be obsolete – because not many people remember it as my birthday and no social networking site remind that day as my birthday.
For now, I enjoy all three days as my birthday – something one of them fall a month before.
I feel great when people wish me – even though it’s almost become like a mandatory thing on every morning to check on Facebook to see whose birthday it is. I truly believe the falling of birthday is less meaningful than receiving a couple of words from real people.
So despite all confusion I am in, I thank all my friends for wishing me happy birthday – I truly appreciate those few words and feel great!
