R.A.K.H.I

Over the years, the ethos of Raksha Bandhan has been changing. From a festival that celebrates the brother-sister relationship, it has morphed into something extravagantly bizarre.

Rakhi is celebrated by a girl (sister), tying a holy thread around her brother’s wrist and the later vowing to protect her from any harm. If the sister is older, it is SHE who protects the brother. Personally I think it is one of those few festivals that treat women as empowered beings.

When we were children, the festival meant a really gaudy, a showy rakhi. Mothers would buy their sons and daughters both chocolates, to avoid any fights in between them on who would get the better gift. And as sisters tend to grow up more quickly, they tend to demand ‘cash’ rather than a molecule shaped gift.

In school, Rakhi would be categorized into 3 categories.
CATEGORY 1 : Around 6-7^th grade students, (For Boys mostly) this was the day to prove everyone you were a hero. Let me put it this way, the more the number of rakhis on your wrist, the more popular you are among girls and hence in school.
Boys would flaunt 15-50 rakhis on their arms as if it were some kind of a latest gadget that others didn’t possess.
Impressively enough, I came under this category.

CATEGORY 2:  9^th Grade onwards.
It wasn’t time for academics anymore. Puberty had finally kicked in. Girls were too hot suddenly. The word ‘Pretty’ had a whole another meaning now. You get to notice the short skirts, loosely hung socks and ofcourse- THE CURVES. And boys used to dread this day. No one wanted his crush to tie a rakhi on his wrist, and over a single piece of thread, change his status from possible suitor to adopted brother. While I have witnessed boys running away when a rather pretty girl approached them with a rakhi; I unfortunately seemed everyone’s favourite choice for – Adopted brother.
CATEGORY 2 – CHECK.

CATEGORY 3:  Rejection had a whole new meaning. If a pretty girl didn’t like boy who had earlier proposed to her, Rakhi was the answer to her problem.
“I love you, Will you be my girlfriend?
Err, No. How about I tie you a Rakhi and you become my brother for life.”
So boys and their object(s) of desire would ‘become’ brother & sister, tied by a string; she would expect a ‘gift’ from him and he would have wet dreams at night.
CATEGORY 3 - No comments.

But we grow up eventually. The bond of a brother-sister is much much more than that of a showy- Rakhi. Its everlasting. Having a sister is kinda like having your mother and annoying best friend in one form. She loves you with all her heart, cares about you and has always your back.

Its Raksha-Bandhan today and I am bored. Happy Rakhi everyone. Its been ages since I have been with my sister on this festival. Most of the times, she has forgotten to send me a rakhi and I have been upset. And yet, I miss her the most this year. I didn’t get to pull her hair. Mess with her homework, interfere in just about every matter. Didn’t even get to spy on her or beat the guys who messed with her. Didn’t get to plan her wedding either or anything.
Oh, didn’t I mention that I don’t have a sister? My bad. No siblings. That’s the biggest curse of being a single son, I guess.
I have cousins, but eh, well, NOT THE REAL DEAL.

So are you still frowning over the fact that your sister is with a loser boyfriend? Or is your annoying brother just about messing your already messed up life? Think about it.
Well, don’t. Enjoy Raksha-Bandhan with a warm hug and a box of chocolates.


P.S - The cover pic may be a tad misleading. BTW, she is RAKHI sawant.
(The idea, theme and title is heavily inspired from Jhoomur Bose- My mentor)