Elsa Angel Rose
A brother is always a brother, whether related by blood or not. He plays many roles in a girl’s life, from being her best friend and biggest cheerleader to her emotional confidante and so much more. “My brother, Andy Fernandes, is my close cousin from my mother’s side. We have been very close since childhood, and we have a truly special bond as cousins. We laugh together, crack jokes about everything and anything, and simply enjoy each other’s company. I feel happiest whenever I am with him because he always makes me feel safe and understood. He gives me the best advice, and I genuinely feel so blessed to have a brother like him,” said Amyra Fernandes, a 20-year-old from Margao. Surprising your sister with her favourite things and long wished-for gifts can be one of the best ways to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. “Andy surprised me with a gift that I genuinely did not expect. Since he is currently working in Dubai, I was really missing him. But he made sure that I did not feel left out on this special day and sent me a beautiful surprise filled with everything he knew I would love. He sent me a beautiful jewellery box filled with jewellery.” (Amyra is obsessed with jewellery.) “He also got me flowers because he knows how much they mean to me. And a long time ago, I had casually told him that I had never had a brownie in my life. He remembered that and sent me brownies too,” shared Amyra. The doting sister added, “This year, I feel incredibly blessed to have a brother like Andy in my life. I can proudly say that though he’s a cousin, our bond isn’t anything less than real siblings.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
GROWING UP TOGETHER, GROWING CLOSER
A younger sister may be younger by age, but by all means, she can act like your mom and sometimes even a strict grandmother. “Aarti mostly rotates between mother and strict grandmother, which is a deadly combo, given she has the wisdom of an 80-year-old and the memory of a goldfish. She’s also my lifetime free therapist, drama manager, and unofficial spokesperson: telling her ‘it’s a top secret, don’t tell Mom and Dad’ guarantees the tea gets spilt instantly. She’s equally chaotic at all her roles, which makes having her around absolute gold,” shared Arvind Gauns, an engineer from Ponda. Regarding his gifts for his younger sister, Arvind shared, “Asking her directly triggers another mystery even the Big Bang Theory can’t solve, usually met with “Tuka jaay te haad.” If I pick, it requires endless permutations of matching accessories, and shopping time scales exponentially with store quality. So I surrendered before her to do the heavy lifting, and I’ll be the card. I did, however, order customised stamps from India Post for a personal touch once I’m back home, just don’t tell her yet!” (Secret out). Arvind was just 2 and a half when his parents announced that he had been promoted to the role of an elder brother. “She’s been tagged along with me ever since, and turns out, there’s no resign button for elder brother duties,” said Arvind.
THE LITTLE BROTHER WHO BECAME A CONSTANT
As you grow older, a brother who is many years younger than you can become far more important in your life than you ever imagined. “My brother Prajyoth Lotlikar is four years younger than me. When we were kids, we used to fight and irritate each other a lot, as most siblings do. But as we’ve grown older, our relationship has become much more mature and understanding. Now, he is someone I know I can genuinely depend on,” said Lathika Lotlikar, a 22-year-old girl from Margao. “This year’s Raksha Bandhan feels different because we both have grown up, and especially because he is starting to understand what the festival actually means. When we were younger, it was just another tradition we followed at home without really thinking much about it. Now, he understands the importance of our bond and has started putting more thought and effort into it,” she added. This year, Lathika is making a customised gift box with things that her brother likes and enjoys. “I’m putting in a T-shirt, a phone case because he really needs one, and a silver bracelet since he likes wearing jewellery. I’ll also add an envelope with some money, so he can use it for whatever he wants. I want the gift to feel personal rather than just buying him one random thing,” shared Lathika. Since her brother is younger than her and is not earning yet, she is not expecting him to buy any gifts for her. However, “Knowing him, I feel he might still save up whatever little he can and give me an envelope with some money. And honestly, even if it’s something small, the fact that he saved up for it would mean more to me than the actual gift. For me, his presence means having someone who silently cares for me and is always there when I need him,” said Lathika.
