Times of Taylor: "Let Them Eat Cake!"

Although traditions can vary widely, annual birthday celebrations are pretty common around the world. Historically only Kings and other royalty were thought to be important enough to have birthday celebrations. They believed that evil spirits searched for people on their birthday, so friends and family would gather to protect the birthday person from the evil spirits. Singing songs and using noise makers was thought to scare the spirits away and gifts were given for good luck. Today birthday celebrations vary depending on age, religion, culture, or beliefs however, one of the highlights is the cake and the tradition of serving birthday cake comes from Ancient Rome. Originally, cakes were much like bread, the only difference being that cakes were sweeter. With culinary advancements in the 17th century, cakes began to look more like their contemporary counterparts. At the time, they were a privilege of the wealthy and not until the industrial revolution were the materials and tools affordable and widely available enough for commoners to have birthday cakes too. Although candles originated in China around 200 BC, it was the Europeans who popularized decorative candles. Candles made their way onto birthday cakes around the 18th century in Germany. Many cultures put enough candles on the cake to equal the age of the person, some cultures adding one more for good luck. However today many people (especially women older than 25) only put a few candles just for significance.

Since being here I have celebrated a total of 5 birthdays some were parties, and others were just small get togethers where people come and eat cake. Although each persons birthday celebration may have been different there is one common denominator of birthday celebration here in India, that is the feeding and smearing of cake! The birthday boy/girl goes around feeding people a piece of cake and then someone feeds them and smears cake on his/her face (for my friends and family at home reading this do not get any ideas). Sometimes its very small smears of cake other times the cake smearing can turn brutal and everyone ends up with cake everywhere either way it is a tradition that remains the same for any age range.

On Monday, we celebrated Aunty Ji's (a term of respect and endearment also what I call my host mom) birthday! We had an amazing butterscotch cake from Le Cakery (the best bakery in Udaipur) and since it was her birthday of course she didnt cook! My host brother picked up dinner which consisted of everyones favorites mine; Pav Bhaji hers; vegetable manchurian ( mixed vegetable steamed formed into dumplings deep fried and cooked in a tangy sauce), my host brothers; chilli paneer ( a spicy-yummy dish made out of soft cheese that is fried with Indian spices along with soy sauce and vinegar. Taste just like chilli chicken). My host father didn't partake in this meal because its too oily for him however, my host brother Rachit and I thoroughly enjoyed our favorites!