A Different Raksha Bandhan: Tie a Rakhi on Your Own Wrist this Year

Debjani Bhadra is an entrepreneur and an aspiring filmmaker, her passion for writing, music and filmmaking inspired her to start her own record label and a small production house in Mumbai. She is loves nature and dreams of a small house with a beautiful view and a kitchen garden. She believes in finding happiness in small things.

 

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As Aradhana ties a raakhi on her brother’s wrist, many questions cross her curious 6-year-old mind. 

She feeds him with a little sweet and runs to her father. 

“Papa Papa! Listen to me!” 

Her busy father ignores her for a while and then holds her gently by the shoulder and asks, 

“What is it beta? “

She jumps into his lap holding him.

“Papa why do we tie raakhis? “

“Every year you ask me the same question, and I give you the same answer, ‘raksha’ means protection and ‘bandhan’ means bond.”

Aradhana interrupts him.

“So why don’t you tie a raakhi on my wrist?”

A little surprised at her question, her father looks at her.

“Papa I protect you from so many things.” 

“I hide your phone whenever you have a headache.” 

“I give you a hug, when you are angry. “

These words from the little one leave her father amazed and he gives her a tight hug. 

This may be a piece of fiction, but it has left us thinking. Do we even take the time to think about the little things? We are always busy, sometimes people pretend to be busy. Whom do we really need protection from? No body but our own selves and our modern lifestyle.

By using cell phones, tabs and laptops, we are becoming slaves to our own desires. So much so that we literally have started choosing the life of a lone wolf.

Although we are surrounded by people, we always crave for our own space, we have stopped talking to people around us but we think about the world.

We get emotional about people on social media, typing and texting have become easier for us then to walk up to our loved ones and ask them how they are doing.

Is it not like a disease that we all must protect ourselves from? Do we really think we are doing the right thing by buying ourselves luxuries and fulfilling the desires of our families?

Our children may have made cell phones and gaming consoles essential parts of their lives, but they still need that human touch. We complain about them dooming their future to a virtual world of excitement, what we have not realized is that we have shown them that path.

We need to save ourselves and our future generations from this isolation.

We must teach ourselves and our children that we have a far better and more beautiful world outside our cell phones and other devices. A real world.

On this auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan we need to promise to ensure the raksha of our minds and souls, and protect ourselves from negative thoughts, and indeed, a virtual world of happiness.

Happy Raksha Bandhan!

 

Art: @anjalibharti88601