RAKHI DAY

A boy proudly shows off his rakhi on Rakhi Day

24^th of August is a special day in India especially among brothers and sisters. It is a ceremonial day when brothers vow to protect their sisters and the latter would tie a “rakhi” or a bracelet to symbolize the bond between them.

It was indeed an exciting day in the villages I have visited, as every man, adult or child I have met showed me their wrists with the colorful rakhis.  One rakhi represents one sister.  It did not matter if they were blood related, for as long as they treat each other as brothers and sisters.

I asked one member of the staff of my organization if she did perform the ceremony that morning, and she told me she did not have brothers, but she and her four sisters exchanged rakhis just the same as they will protect each other anyway even if they do not have brothers to protect them.

Coming from a small town where she grew up, it must have been hard for their family to raise them, and eventually to marry all five of them should they decide to follow the norms of the society and be subjected to the traditions and cultures of the dowry system, and of the position of women in the society. 

Who am I to judge? But the fact that they have been raised to be good people of the society, loving and caring and protective of each other, I find that admirable and inspiring.

Hers is a story that should overshadow the horror stories on gender inequalities I have heard when I first arrived in India.

Being the youngest in my family with no sisters and four older brothers, I have found a new way of seeing things differently regarding my relationship with my brothers.  I do not have colorful rakhis to tie around their wrists when I get home but I would definitely say hello if only to mean I love them.