Rakhi 2008

Phew!! Whats with the Rakhi this year! First, even though I remembered on Aug 15th that tomorrow is Rakhi, but I almost forgot that Jiya would tie Rakhi for Vansh and hence we would celebrate it nicely. Yeah I am that weird at times. I keep remembering that some date is so and so's birthday, that date comes and goes and I still keep thinking that I have to wish so and so on this date till after about 2-3 days if not more.

And then I forgot to pen it down here! So here I am now.

Anyways part of the reason I forgot was the Indian Independence Day celebrations we were heart and soul into at that point. So as soon as I remembered which was at about 6'o clock the previous evening, we went and bought some stuff for making a couple of sweets. At 9'0 clock after putting Jiya to bed and as Ashwini took Vansh inside for his bedtime, I put the milk to boil for kheer on one coil and condensed milk for another sweet, I don't know the name but its very close to the brown part of milk cake, on the second one. The sweets kept cooking as I cleaned the house (yeah festivals and guests are the two things that make me do that). At 11:15 I was all done and ready to sleep, foregoing the usual Friday night movie. I woke up early and made Poha with cahews and raisins etc for breakfast. The kids woke up at the usual time and bathed at their usual early hour and we were ready to celebrate Rakhi by 9:45. I'll tell the rest of the story along with the pictures.

The kids eyed the Rakhi thali for some time taking in the sights and smells of the various goodies, me thinks.

The appetizing goodies and the fact that it was past their breakfast time, they first wanted to devour the poha and the sweers. I tried to make Jiya hold the rakhi to Vansh's arm before they ate ...

... but gave up after a couple of attempts and let both of them have a few bites of whatever it was they wanted to have. Vansh wanted to have the namkeen poha preferring that to the sweets and Jiya as always was impartial to all tasty foods be they meetha or namkeen.

Hmm, so pehle pet pooja, phir kaam dooja; Jiya finally did the honors of tying the rakhi around bhaiya's wrist.

Both the kids were all hugs for each other as Vansh handed out the kharchi to Jiya, with which she bought a couple of ear-rings, by the way :)

And then they had several moments which always make me cherish the festivals for creating an atmosphere, an aura of the emotions that run high as we celebrate those. Be it the majesty one feels on seeing the innumerable lights and diyas on Diwali, the pride one feels in being an Indian on Independence day, the joy and childlike excitement on seeing the colors on Holi. It was beautiful and in deed surprising when they spend so many of their waking minutes trying to tease each other, snatch things, scream, cry, how they sat peacefully eating together from the same plate, feeding each other, hugging each other impromptu. As if two little children who don't even fully understand the significance of Rakhi just felt it within their hearts their love for each other and a need to express it so strongly. As we prayed for the bond to strengthen and the love to blossom.

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