Birthday

A child's birthday is marked by several observances. In the Birthday morning the father bathes in warm water and the mother and child are rubbed with'sweet-smelling oils and powders and bathed in hot water. A square is traced in the women's hall, and three low wooden stools are set in the square, two in a line and the third in front of them. Eighteen little rice heaps are piled on the front stool and a betelnut is laid on each heap. One of the betelnuts represents the family-deity or kul-devta; another the birth-star deity or janma-nakshatra devata; others Ashvatthama, Bali, Bibhishan, Bhanu, Hanuman, Jamadagni, Kripacharya, Markandeya, Prajapati, Pralhad, Ram, Shasthi, Vighnesh, and Vyas; two represent the father's deceased parents. The father and mother with the child in her arms take their seats on the two stools and a married woman marks the child's brow with redpowder. The house gods and the elders are bowed to, and, with their leave, the holy-day blessing and the joyful-event spirit-worship are performed, and the eighteen deities are asked to give the child a long life. A little milk mixed with a little molasses and sesamum seed is put in a silver cup, and given to the child to drink. The Brahmans get some money and take their leave, and the day ends with a feast. On this day the father is forbidden to pare his nails, to pluck out any hair, or to quarrel with or sleep with his wife.