The Day That Was

Although I feel special on my all birthdays but I think this year’s birthday was special for more than one reason. This was my first birthday after marriage, TG and I were celebrating my birthday together for the first time,  and it was Janamashtami. The birthday started with loads of wishes from family, friends and you guys. As customary, I cooked suji ka halwa in morning and gave it at the temple, my friend came home for lunch, got flowers and the usuals.

Then started a surprise from TG….

While my friend and I were having lunch, TG was leaving for gym. Before leaving he left us with a question, ” Guess what will be Dagny’s gift this year?”  Forget lunch, all we were doing for next one hour was thinking about my gift. Err… Nothing helped. He didn’t bother to give any clue. He came back and we begged him to tell but he didn’t. Finally he told my friend and I was ordered to be patient. When no one was telling me, I decided that I’d rather go to gym and this would help me forget about it. Thankfully, the music and treadmill helped me not to think about the surprise. Out of habit, I called TG during the midway of my exercise routine. He said,” Your gift is waiting in your bedroom and I am not at home.”  Smilingly I said okay and went back to complete my routine.

I came back home unlocked the main door, opened my bed room door and what I saw there was just out of the world. There were three big wooden frames hanging on the wall opposite to my bed. Those frames had three of our best pictures together taken in past 6 months. I don’t know how many times I have looked at those pics in past but the same pics hanging in the wall bought a flashback of all the time that we have spent together after a long struggle. They looked beautiful and added life to the whole room. Even thank you seemed small for such an invaluable gift. While I was still trying to believe my eyes, there was a ting-tong on the door. I opened the door and there was TG standing with a huge bouquet of red roses and while lilys and a pack of CDs for me. I gladly accepted his gifts and I was almost speechless…

We spent our evening watching one of the movies called ” Gran Torino” from my set of gifted CDs, and our neighbours came to wish me birthday. We chit chatted for a while.  After they left we got ready and left for dinner at Oh!  Calcutta. As the name suggest, it is a specialty restaurant for Bengali food. The ambiance was good- not the kind of place where you can have a romantic candle light dinner but the kinds where the place is crowded but you would be able to find your peace in some corner.  We sat next to a huge glass window pane and since the restaurant is located in Park Royal Hotel complex, the view outside was pretty good. The colourful lights blinking across the road added to the ambiance. The menu mainly had Bengali dishes so we simply asked the waiter to assist us with the order. We ordered soups, rice, cholar dal, koraishutir dhoka dalna ( green pea cakes simmered in sharp ginger flavoured curry), and garlic naan. There were vinegar-green chillies, curd dip and dal crumbs served along with the food. The food was delicious. I think I am in love with Bengali food now. The dal had a little tinge of sweet in it and it was a little different than the usual dal taste but we liked it.  Then came the cake cutting and dessert time. I ordered brownie with ice cream (with dripping chocolate sauce. Yummy! ) and TG ordered rosogolla and Noren-gur mango ice cream. I cut the brownie and TG sang the birthday song for me. The food was followed by two pans and I ate both of them. TG doesn’t eat paan, he just sings “Paan kahaaye saiyaan hamaaro” whenever I eat it. :D  For a change, I paid the bill. We left gleefully and while I was chewing two pans at one time, I couldn’t open my mouth to say thank you to the staff. I was trying hard to control my laughter at my foolishness so I  just smiled tightened lipped and nodded my big head. We overate but really, the food was too good to resist.

I think it was a great day. I enjoyed every bit of it.

Us! Bengali Food, Birthday, Fun, Movies, OH! Calcutta