I adore my younger sister more than anything in this world. And, this Raksha Bandhan, I’m going to break stereotype by choosing to tie a rakhi to her instead.
“Why exactly do we celebrate this festival?” a thought arose in my mind while tying Rakhi to my cousin brother last year. Since childhood, we have all succumbed to the narrow meaning of Raksha Bandhan, the one that just commemorates the bond between a brother and a sister.
What about the strong feeling of love that any two sisters share? As a pair of two female siblings, living the highs and lows together, it took me years to understand the literal meaning of Rakhi.
Understanding the real importance of Raksha Bandhan
On this day, a sister happily looks forward to tying rakhi to her biological or non-biological brother. She prays for his good health, prosperity, and well-being in exchange for some cute gifts. And, the brother, sharing the same feelings for his sister, promises to guard her against any harm in life.
But what if I tell you that all my life, it has been my sister and I against the world, protecting each other’s lives from hitting rock bottom?
Ever since we were kids, we either never became a part of this festival, or we tied rakhi to our cousin brothers. Alongside, a few years ago, we started a ritual of tying the rakhi band to the God idols we believed in.
It was only last year that I actually realized that this festival is more about any two pair of siblings assuring to love, respect, and protect each other all their lives. And my younger sister has always been my go-to person, my support system. We have gone through the same or different good and bad days together. Without her, I believe, I’d never have the nerve to take retakes at life. Years younger than me, she still radiates positivity in my life by uttering words of wisdom. I know that her feminine strength is enough to pull me out of any dark space to get me closer to my true destination.
Also read: Rakshabandhan: Siblings have superpowers to soothe mental health woes
Choosing to break stereotype by chasing my heart’s calling
This Raksha Bandhan will be all about the sacred relationship I have with my younger sister. The rakhi band we purchase has its true place on our wrists. We have loved each other unconditionally to date and will continue doing so for the rest of our lives. She sees a part of me in her, and I see a part of her in me, and that’s enough to sail us through life.
Same rituals, same emotions but with a different take
We are not going to do something fancy this year. We are going to follow the same ritual with nothing but love seated in our hearts. On this day, like usual, we will play dress-up for the same tradition to laugh around each other while exchanging hugs and kisses. This festival just gave us an excuse to celebrate this bond.
So, let’s tie this thread of protection to our sisters, the ones who truly know us and will always armour us from the world. Let’s break stereotypes to embrace this bond of Raksha.