Come Rakhi Purnima and all households with siblings are abuzz with activities. Be it a teenaged girl or a married woman, every girl eagerly waits to tie rakhis around her brother’s wrist to mark the festival that celebrates the bond between siblings. However, it is wrong to think that women who do not have brothers, do not celebrate the festival. Orissa POST speaks to a few women who do not have brothers, yet they celebrate the occasion with much fanfare.
Cuttack-based homemaker Baisakhi Hazara is the eldest daughter of her parents and she loves celebrating each festival with pomp and gaiety. “I have heard many mythological stories related to Raksha Bandhan from my mother. The story of how Lord Krishna saved Draupadi had a lasting impact on me. This festival strengthens the bonding between a brother and a sister as they promise to protect each other for as long as they live. I find it heartwarming when I see my friends tying rakhis on their brothers’ wrists and feeding them a rasgulla or barfi. Though we don’t have brothers, my sisters and I send rakhis to my cousins by courier. Besides, we tie rakhis on each other’s wrists to mark the festival and promise not to make each other feel the absence of a brother. But it’s true that sometimes, I do really feel the absence of a brother. With my cousins being far away from us, I feel lonesome. Though I have parents and a caring sister, there are some issues which a girl would like to share with her brothers. A brother can sort out any disturbance in your in-laws’ house more tactfully than your parents. And I have realised this many a time.”
Sushmita Biswal Mallick from Kolkata says, “Why is it so obligatory for us to have a brother to celebrate this festival? Where is it written that this festival cannot be celebrated among any siblings? We are four sisters. Apart from tying rakhis on each other’s wrists, we present gifts to each other. I don’t feel that only a brother can protect a sister in her tough times. I live in Kolkata which is far away from my parental home. Sometimes, unknown people have come to my rescue in difficult situations. There are also instances where brothers do not take care of their sisters and don’t spend even a minute to ask about a sister’s wellbeing after her marriage. It is better not to have such brothers.”
Bhubaneswar-based Riya Nanda, an anchor by profession, says, “It’s not about a brother protecting a sister, rather it is about siblings protecting each other and being there for each other. I don’t have a brother. But I know that my sister and I are always there for each other no matter what. And we promise to stand by each other on Rakhi Purnima.”
She continues, “My sister is the gift in my life. Every year my Raksha Bandhan begins with tying rakhi on her wrist, praying to God for her health, happiness and prosperity. And I promise to stand by her side today, tomorrow and forever because she is the golden thread in my life.”
Pabitra Priyadarshini, a Singapore-based social worker, says, “We are three sisters. We don’t have a brother. That does not mean we don’t celebrate Rakhi. It is wrong to think that brothers are the protectors of their sisters, just because they tie a rakhi on their wrists. To me, Rakhi Purnima is not just a brother’s day. It is celebrating the bond of ‘Raksha’ (protection) between sisters, between brothers, between siblings. Though we sisters stay far away from each other, we make sure to send rakhis and gifts to each other every year. They are not just sisters for me, they are my friends, philosophers and guides.”
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP