Some time back, though it seems to have cooled down a little, there was a terrible hue and cry about Hindi being imposed on Marathi kids. Appeared more of a convenient political posturing that benefits polls, right? Wonder why I am thus asserting?
Well, look at the popularity of the Raksha Bandhan festivities in Maharashtra. It is not exactly "apla Marathi", our very own, Marathi festival. It came to us via the Hindi Bollywood phillums! Originating in the erstwhile border states which often had to deal with invaders, tying the Rakhee as a symbol for the sister's honour (why, in Rajasthan and Gujrat, in this very spirit, women relatives may tie, and extremely decorative at that, rakhis to each other, right?) is not a Marathi notion!
Yet we have assimilated it in good faith, right? Of course, currently like everything else, it, too, is more a marketed (by-n-for the entire consumer goods chain) business! Cultural icons, too, guzzle the consumerism intoxicant!
Actually, in Maharashtra, reigns supreme this lovely story. It deals with Krishna and Draupadi. As usual, Narada is the busybody key figure. He pretends that Krishna cut his finger, and hence needs a rag to stop the profuse bleeding. It is Draupadi alone who immediately tears off the costliest saree she is wearing so as to tie up the wound.
I think, it is this care, concern and love for each other that the festival celebrates. As it is, sisters these days are self-reliant, and hardly would bother brothers for protection. The thread of affection, love and concern for each other never snaps though, and the festival, in my opinion, celebrates this bond.
Busy with life, livelihoods, liabilities of all sorts, siblings may hardly find the time to meet each other. The weekly off on Sundays gets reserved for family, shopping, outings, entertainment, et al. Yet brothers and sister intuitively keep on resuming that unbreakable 'bond' and with 'interest', and beyond any wordly implications of the words consciously put in quotation marks. They continue to pick up the threads that never were snapped in the first place! They subtly but deeply care for each other's well-being in a way none else can. Long live the brothers-sister bond! Happy Rakhee!
Pratima@ The greatest gift our late parents gave us is we for each other. Rakhee is the day to celebrate that eternal 'present'.
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