piranda naal vaazhthukkal! (happy birthday!)

While I was in the field, I celebrated my 21st birthday in the village of Thirupudaimaruthur (Jayakumar likes to ask me to pronounce it so that he can laugh at me). In the morning, Jayakumar had a cake ready for me. After we lit the five candles, I blew them out. So far, just like a normal birthday.




After the candles were extinguished, it was my job as the birthday girl to cut the cake for everyone. I handed everyone a piece, in order of their importance. I actually had idea who was important or not, so I just followed everyone else's instructions. I was offered the first bite of everyone's cake. Jayakumar then took some of the icing and swiped it on my nose. I have a feeling that nose-icing is not the traditional part.



Then, I went to the Hindu temple in order to receive my birthday blessing. Afterwards, we went to the swami's house. The swami's wife had prepared some helwa, which is a South Indian dessert. The only way I can describe it is sticky sweet goodness (which is even better because you get to eat it with your hands). There was also some banana pudding-type item. It was a lot like our banana pudding, sans vanilla wafers and plus a lot more sugar. Then, they gave me a traditional Indian gift. It included an Indian rupee and some traditional Indian things, including bananas. These chubby little bananas are the best I have tasted in the world (sorry South America).

One of the gods of the temple:

Here I am receiving my blessing in the home of the swami.

Then, I receive my gift.

Here I am with the birdwatcher (on the right), the swami (the buff one in the orange lungi), and his family.


On birthdays, Indians traditionally give sweets to everyone. I passed out some caramels to anybody that I passed that morning--even the confused ladies that were going to the temple to worship.

Later in the day, we explored a forest that one of the birdwatchers had planted himself ten years ago. I saw three wild peacocks! Then, the birdwatcher, who is also a farmer, gave me the chance to learn to plant rice in one of his paddies. I was a super slow planter compared to his deft workers. I guess that rules out rice paddy worker as a potential profession.


While I didn't spend my 21st birthday exercising my legal rights in a bar downtown, I had a most memorable experience. There will be plenty of time for bar tabs later in life.

Special thanks to Granny Anne and Michael Brown who sent me birthday cards! I've got the cards hanging up in my hostel room to remind me of home.