Birthday Brouhaha

We are living in the era of postmodernism where there are multiple identities being recognized – traditional, modern and beyond. Amidst all these, the increasing identification and assertion of individuality is a new development, though it's continuation of liberalism only.

                           
In this context, the traditional culture of festivities is being enriched by a new trend of asserting individual festivity accepted by all concerned. Birthday is such a new fad not only among kids or youngsters but across the age. After all this date is not determined by any Brahminic tradition or astrological calculation, but one`s own contribution to festivity in one`s social circle. It`s another matter that some over enthusiast couples plan birth of their babies on some predetermined dates 'say' on birthday of baby`s other siblings or some special day like  Gandhi, Subhash`s birthdays or on their own birthdays to make it special.

                             
However, there are some people who defy all these and decide their own date of birth during school admission or matriculation which stays for whole life. This section confuses its friend circle about his/her birthday and escapes the mandate of birthday party by juggling between these two dates- original and manufactured. Besides, there is also a section who really does not know about it`s real birthday, off course unlucky one like our village brethrens,orphan bandhus and slum-living unprivileged folks. They will typically choose Independence day, Republic day, Gandhi Jayanti and even 1^st January etc. to sound good.

                             
Now, thanks to compulsory birth registration which will no way give freedom to coming generation to manipulate age as the existing and previous gen kid did to take advantage in job application or otherwise. Guardians having eyes on civil services for their children must be eyeing on 1^st august which is the “lakshman rekha” to decide the age of eligibility, so an advantage/disadvantage of 1 year for falling after/before this could be taken.

                               
The birthday conundrum has generated a lot of interest/ excitement in new generation. For them from gift demand to proposal to mend relationship to take new resolution to what not are being marked on this date. So, a special date owned by an individual to engineer one`s social relationship. 
                                 
The very social media sites like FB, WhatsApp etc. have just hastened this process of self-owned festivity. One wakes up taking mobile in hand opening  barely one eye sees these sites where messages like “ help mr./mrs X celebrating birthday” will pop up to force one to react. One likes/comments/messages immediately to earn brownie points by being first to do or so. The "Birthday Boy/Girl" gets involved so much in replying in physical as well as virtual world  that day that his/her birthday`s good amount of time goes in counting likes and sensing the depth of comments whether it's casual type wish or deeply thought or copy-pasted…

                               
 For some this awaited day takes preparation of weeks beforehand. S/he will keep on reminding known one  gently or sometime forcefully,” Aren’t you forgetting some special day coming?

                                 
I have always been afraid of my birthday, firstly due to thundering bumps bumping on back by roadies friends, secondly, due to pressure of party to be thrown for gluttony friends who will not settle for smaller one. These guys will not remember a nationally or internationally important birthday to correct in MCQ exam but will keep on revising  generously friends' date of birth to not miss the party. But these guys will be really missed when one will be alone in far flung areas at newly posted place where nobody will care for your birthday.

                                   

 I am not sure about  emerged “cake culture” -when it started in India- but now its deep penetration reflects the booming businesses around birthday celebration. The decreasing expenditure in religious affair due to increasing secularization of culture is now shifting towards birthday, valentine day etc.In this context, Neo-Marxists may call it a newly increasing grip on culture of developing countries which is shaping market economy in favour of capitalist class. Iranian scholar Jalal- e- Ahmad underlines such increasing influence as “westoxification: a plague from west”.Similarly other sobriquets “occidentosis”, “westruck”, “euromania” etc. too indicate same obsession for western culture.

                                     
Nevertheless, one may debate about the way of celebration whether by cutting cake or by worshiping "satnarayan swami" followed by distribution of “chana amrit”, the very idea of assertion of individuality as birthday celebration can`t be refuted calling it as west way . An individual is the smallest minority which must be preserved as article 29/30 of Indian constitution proclaims ,so, is the assertion of individual`s culture.

Falling hair and dwindling confidence

It is said that one comes on the earth with no hair or little hair and goes with either no hair or bare hair, so, is it worth to be too much concerned about 'have', and 'having hair not' ?...Is hair richness connected  with one's confidence or just it's been over hyped by cosmetics companies? Or, is it to reveal ones 'genetic deficiency' in public or to reflect one's  negligence towards 'hair health' upkeep vis-a-vis consumption of water/food, and varied shampoos etc.?  

However, whatever be the case , truth is that the deepening baldness puts one at margin of societal confidence. I have seen people getting under depression, dejection, low self esteem and in turn assuming all handsomeness is being controlled by hair on head. People make all effort to hide the empty space by combing hair in multiple permutation and combination,even go for heavy trimming or head shave to decrease the possibility of hair fall.

Youngsters  having  sustained home grown hairs really feel confident.They call uncle to their poor brothers, reminding them every time their poverty.In this context, Karl Marx could have included this hair deficit section also in his 'proletariat calculation' but himself  being highly hair rich turned his eyes blind on it. Even Antonio Gramsci too couldn't understand the menace of 'Hair hegemony' which  in turn will dominantly manufacture the matrimonial opinion in favour of 'hair haves' section.

 Such systematic marginalisation even by Intellectuals further entrenches "inferiority complex"  especially among competitive exam aspirants whose increasing age- induced anxiety expedites the desertification of decimating barren head-land .However,Civil services aspirants start to take it positive calling it a reflection of wisdom as increasing albedo ( but decreasing libido) of shining head reveals so amidst bubbling and carefree youth. They see their images in secretaries, public intellectuals etc. at the very young age as their resembling and radiating mast head say so. Nevertheless, they are also subjected to untouchability in classroom when  beautiful girls take L-turn while sitting, but these girls too repent missing wisdom bounty of 'untimely turned uncle'.

Dr. Ambedkar ,too,couldn't not visualise this artificial social discrimination.Even Constituent Assembly Debate was also blinded by Gandhi's top floor's overpowering reflection but he was old, so how youth can take this aspect of him as role model.

In Bollywood, Film chroniclers comment some actors like Akshay khanna have suffered the appeal despite being talented as  Anupam kher did, despite  his stellar hero like role in the movie "Saransh". Later one chose to be in roles older than his age in most of his subsequent roles. Roadies TV show judge Raghu Brothers defiantly chose to be so and tried to break the taboos of baldness but I don't think they would have appealed because of their incorrigible 'Vitriolic abusive verbal diarrhoea' like personality.

 However, design and destiny are two different things here. Recently amended "PwD act" increased disability ground from 7 to 21 to widen the ambit for reservation but baldness couldn't get a berth, perhaps, mavericks like Shashi Tharoor(who undertook transgender case in the parliament) is insensitive on account of his flourishing hairs. Visibly, it doesn't affect the physical efficiency of an individual but victims of it have come up with many arguments to make their points.They say that decreased confidence on account of 'hair poverty'  diverts focus from study or work, so, need of affirmative action is felt.

In this context , Dr. Batra, "peddler of hair loss induced anxiety" is trying to feel the legislative gap especially among young turks who are impatient to get rid of this curse.I am yet to decipher how it broke my seclusion barrage and got mobile number while some of  my good friends were struggling to find my know how since last half a decade.Point is, how Dr. Batra  came to know my problem exactly? Here, recently ruled, Puttaswamy case, Right to privacy, really needs to be invoked. However, Dr. Batra couldn't allure  me despite all free of cost inducements. Perhaps, by then, I could understand the menace of " predatory probe" of Dr. Batra. 

Still , sometimes I see my rich(hair) friends advising me for hair therapy.  My female friends take pride in genetic speciality of female sex who seldom go for baldness which further exacerbates the pityness of male victim as female can't empathise on this aspect.