Shreyansh picked up the plate quickly and said, “Didi! I will tie the rakhi on you.”
Samriddhi objected and snatched the plate from his hand. “No, I will tie the rakhi.”
“No, I will,” said Shreyansh and pulled the plate back.
Samriddhi looked at Ma and said, “Ma! Please explain to Shreyansh that girls tie rakhi,” and she grasped the plate.
Ma was quiet. She did not know what to say. Samriddhi again said loudly, “Tell him, ma that I am right. Sisters tie rakhi to their brothers, and not the other way round.”
“Ma, then didi does not know the meaning of Rakshabadhan,” said Shreyansh smugly.
“Who says I do not know the meaning of this festival?” said Samriddhi. “It is a festival of brothers and sisters and the sisters tie rakhi on their brother’s wrists.”
“No, you are wrong,” said Shreyansh.
Samriddhi continued, pretending that she hadn’t heard Shreyansh. “So that sisters can thank those who protect them. Our teacher says that Rakshabandhan helps girls remind their brothers that it is their duty to protect their sisters.”
“Ma, our teacher says we should tie rakhi on those who protect us. It is a festival of the bond of protection,” said Shreyansh looking at his mother.
Ma was enjoying their conversation. She was listening to them attentively and asked Shreyansh, “So?”
“Ma, please tell didi to let me tie the rakhi on her wrist.”
“No, ma, I will tie him the rakhi,” said Samriddhi. “You tell Shreyansh to allow me to tie the rakhi.”
“Samriddhi, why don’t give Shreyansh a chance to tie the rakhi this year, ” suggested ma.
“No, ma. This is my festival. When I tie the rakhi, I get money and also his love.”
“Oh! That is the real reason why you want to tie him a rakhi,’’ said ma thoroughly amused and enjoying this.
Ma looked at Shreyansh and asked him, “So you too want to tie the rakhi so that you can get money from your sister?”
“No, ma,” said Shreyansh. “ I don’t want money. I will tie the rakhi on didi and I will also give her the money.”
“Oh!” said ma, now puzzled.
But Samriddhi heard Shreyansh and left the plate. “So then why do you want to tie a rakhi, Shreyansh?” she asked not being able to understand him.
Why does Shreyansh want to tie a rakhi and also give her money?
Rakshabandhan was a festival in which, sisters tied rakhi on their brother’s wrist and the brothers gave them money and gifts. But here not only Shreyansh wanted to give her money, he wanted to tie a rakhi on her wrist also.
But ma now understood what Shreyansh wanted. “The rakhi is tied by the sisters on their brothers. Why do you want to tie the rakhi on your sister?” she asked lovingly.
“Didi protects me all the time. And rakhi should be tied to the one who protects us. So I want to tie the rakhi on her wrist, ” he explained.
“What?” said Samriddhi. “When did I protect you, where and from whom?” she asked, now laughing.
“Didi, do you remember, once I had a fight with Yash? He is bigger than me and was hitting me left and right. And you came there at that time?”
“Yes, I remember!” said Samriddhi. “I had caught hold of Yash and stopped him.”
“And you said, ‘Aren’t you ashamed of hitting someone younger than you. If you are really brave, then come and fight me’. And you gave him a good yelling.” Shreyansh reminded her.
“So you protected me. And since rakhi is tied on someone who protects, I should tie rakhi on you.”
Hearing this, ma was happy, “What you say is absolutely right, Shreyansh!”
Just then Papa came there. “I have been listening to both of you. Shreyansh and Samriddhi, the festival of Rakshabandhan is celebrated for this very reason. Rakhi should be tied on the one who protects. So, both can tie rakhi to each other.’’
“And I will also give her money.”
“But then I too want to give him money and sweets gifts,” insisted Samriddhi.
Ma immediately placed the money her hand.
Shreyansh put a tilak on Samriddhi and tied her a rakhi. He gave her a coconut barfi and an envelope with money in it. Samriddhi too tied him a rakhi and gave him the money ma had given to her.
Seeing the rakhis on their wrists, both the brother and the sister were overjoyed.
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