My mother underwent a surgery last week and I have been taking care of her. This was the first time when I wasn’t with my children during any festival, yesterday being Rakshabandhan. My children have always helped and supported me in taking care of parents. They both have taken care of each other emotionally and also in taking care of the house.

Rakshabandhan is not just about a brother protecting his sister physically, its about the bond where both the siblings love and support each other through good and bad times. Many a times siblings aren’t present physically, but the emotional support and connect is there and that’s what matters.

There’s a lot of debate regarding the essence of this festival, but with changing and evolving times and gender dynamics loving and supporting each other, be it siblings of any gender, is what matters in the end.