bhaichaara, bhaigiri and behena!

Rakhi is gone already. The lazy bum that I am, i didn't bother sending rakhi to a dozen brothers that I have (all except one are cousins least you have been wondering just how busy my parents have been!;). On the other had you can also wonder, "She must be getting whole lot of gifts!"

Cubby ka Raksha Bandhan - Picture Story! :p

Kabir had his first proper rakhi this year. He REFUSED to get it tied and created quite a scene! But do check out his bright kurta pajama! :p

Oho! Kya pareshaani hai! :p

Ofcos all was well once the ceremonies were done with! And the scene was something like this!

fav anta didi with Vedu Bhaiyaa and Diti didi and Cubby

Mere bachpan ka Raksha bandhan! ;)

Raksha Bandhan meant buying whole lot of rakhis a week before because so many of them had to be posted. I diligently sat and wrote letters to each one (which were never replied to) and then put the rakhi, stick a stamp and go to the post office. Thatday all the guys in the school would be in hiding! Moonh bola bhai was a rage then! :p I used to tie rakhi all the dudes in the building too. Being the regular plain Jane, nobody ran from my rakhi wielding hand

When i offcially became bhena!

I still remember wanting a brother just so that I could have someone to tie rakhi to every year ekdum hak se! And then it happened! My brother was born after almost 7 years of my existence on this planet! I don't really remember much of those days. I really have no angst ridden stories about being ignored or having been a sacrificing elder sibling. I do remember being terribly excited about the lift in the hospital where he was born. Yeah! My priorities were indeed little warped then. I have Ahem! grown up now! ;)

The hospital was just opposite our building so I would go to meet mom and the baby before going to school and on my way back home. I would take all my friends too. I used to call him 'sasulya' an endearing term for rabbit because he was so small, fair and soft.

The aftermath of bhaichaara sapna

After the initial euphoria I really started getting bugged. I mean he was just too small. WE had absolutely nothing in common and it just wasn't fun the way I hoped it will be. After a point I bullied him mercilessly (am really sorry bro! i was just a kid too!). But at the same time, I would be very protective about someone from outside bothering him.

Every time someone harassed him, he would come crying to me saying Diiidddiii! So much so that my whole building still calls me Didi! :D He never went to my parents. My parents were also very cool type of people in general. I am sure all recent mommies will think we were a neglected lot if i tell them, I went for his PTA meetings! Yup Yup! I took half day from school with some lie and attend his meeting in the next building. I would buy his books and note down whatever teachers said and show it to my folks.

I went to pick up his results every year. I still remember when he stood 1st for the first time in 5th standard. He had gone out of town and the class was empty since I went after picking up my results. I saw his name on the board. My excitement knew NO bounds. No cell phones and all and i didn't know where to jump in joy and whom to tell! :)

We shed tears together when he didn't get scholarship in 4th standard when he was among the most consistent performers in the class. My brother is the regular genius while I am "could have done better, if she worked little hard" variety, which basically means i NEVER did well academically or otherwise! I was just lazy. Correction I am!

Over the years the gap reduced and we started getting along famously. We were a team against parents and anybody else who bugged us. We came up with our own weird languages that no one around us understood. WE had our own private jokes and we would break out into peals of uncontrollable laughter without knowing what exactly was so funny!

He got me introduced to cartoons like Dexter's Lab which was so similar to what we were as brother and sister and Dragon ball Z where i followed the adventures with equal fervour. One of us would take Dilbert or Calvin and Hobbes to read and we would keep on passing the book to other saying you have to read this and laugh like crazy.

Just before leaving for airport. Can't believe Cubby was sooo tiny! and ugly!

He said when I get married, it will be a good riddance and he will never cry when the bidaai happens. He wept like a baby. Of cos he blames it on a moment of insanity and all that jazz, but I have photographic evidence and have never stopped teasing him since! ;)

Today he has worked hard, done exceedingly well in his engineering studies and become a superbly confident person. I was amazed and very proud when i saw how much his seniors trusted him and his juniors looked up to him. He was president of god knows how many societies and working hard for every college fest.


Proud Mama after having successfully fed Cubby the first time!

Bhaigiri se mamugiri tak! :p

He is now studying in the US and doing his MS. I am glad he was there when Cubby was born and he was so good with him. Cubby listened carefully only to him. My brother would be talking to him about theory of relativity or giving him snippets of latest Jeffery Archer he was reading and Cubby would be listening with rapt attention and gurgling. He volunteered to feed him and changed him with finesse of an expert.

They got very little time with each other, but I hope they will make up for it someday.

last photograph taken on the airport Oct 2007

The Summary!

We don't share major secrets with each other, but we both know we are there for each other. I call him occasionally and update him on Cubby happenings and whatever else is there to talk about. He was among the first few to call and check on me when the Bangalore blasts happened. He is the reason i KNOW i HAVE to have a second baby to give Cubby the same chance at sharing roots with someone who will always be there.

Miss you brother! Keep rocking and being the nice guy that you are! :) And try and argue a little less, will ya?? When the urge gets too much, just study law! :p

(it's a Rakhi post. I HAVE to say nice things about ya!;)