Can anyone suggest a creative INDIAN alternative to cake cutting for Birthday?

In Hindu religious customs, we do not blow the light, instead we light the lamp to indicate a good start. Instead of cake cutting, you can have sweets readily cut and you can just have it distributed.

You could ask your son on his own hand to give out money or sweets to the needy or old people who are in the foster homes, it could be the orphaned kids or the old people and you could see the happiness in their face and make your son (if he is old enough to understand) the habit of giving. Instead of celebrating with our own family which we can do at anytime, celebrating it with others who have no family would be more fulfilling and joyous, according to me.

Hmm.. you sound like one of my uncles who didn't want his grand daughter cutting a cake on her b'day.So instead of cutting a cake and blowing out candles he made her light lamps. He felt that is a good thing to do, indicating she will bring light into others as well as her own life instead of darkness (as in if she blew out candles/light) It definitely is something different and the first time it happened in our family, of course I haven't still understood that funda...I prefer to cut a cake :) There was cake at her bday though, but she didn't cut it, it was pre-cut. Hope you get more ideas, I'm gonna read them too.