Karnataka: Leap year birthdays call for special celebrations

HUBBALLI: It's a special day for some people in Hubballi-Dharwad, who get to celebrate their birthday, something they do only in every four years. This included some prominent personalities and this quadrennial event, was celebrated with a bang on Saturday. While some feel they are lucky to be born on Feb 29, very few are disappointed as they don’t get to celebrate their birthday every year.
Mustaq Dargad, who runs a security agency in Dharwad and member of Rotary Club Dharwad Central, he feels thrilled as his friends wait for four years to wish for his birthday. “I wish them every year. Celebrating the birthday is important for everyone. In that sense, importance of my birthday is value added by four times,” he winked.
Rohini Gundi, a home maker at Women’s College Road, J C Nagar, Hubballi, has something special story to say. “My father R B Shankaragoudra, an advocate in Savadatti, knew that Feb 29 is birthday of our former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. When my mother Gayatridevi was pregnant and it was already nine months by February 1992, he had wish of getting baby born on Feb 29 that coincides with Desai’s birthday. So, my father forced my mother to walk more to get labor pains. His plan was succeeded and my mom got labor pains by afternoon and delivered a baby, i.e. myself, by normal delivery,” she shared.
Guruputra Bharbhari, a retired deputy general manager at BSNL and resident of Rani Channamma Nagar in Dharwad, happily said it’s his 17th birthday. “Who got opportunity to celebrate teenage birthday at the age of 68 years, he laughed. He celebrated his birthday in Ganputipule, Maharashtra, along with his family friends.
Pushpa Jain, a senior citizen in Arihant Nagar, Kusugal Road, felt lucky to celebrate her 15th birthday with her grandchildren who happily said now their grandmother has entered into 60 years of age and waited for her 16th birthday that comes in 2014. “We cut cake in the morning and now offered some contributions to Goshala in the evening. We also visited Mahaveer Jain temple and sought blessings. About 15 families have gathered to celebrate my birthday at home and I feel proud of all my children and grandchildren,” she shared.
Prabhavati Hiremath, a structural engineer in Vidyanagar, said she celebrated her birthday on March 1. “But that is just for our joy. I feel happier when I celebrate it on my original birth date once in four years. Moreover my family members, relatives and friends can’t forget my birthdate which is unique,” she asserted.