Hard relate Nidhi. Every year I tell myself that I will stop sending rakhis next year. Then the next year comes along and I rinse and repeat. Of all the festivals in our country - this is the one I used to love the most and have now grown to detest - because my family remains stuck, unable to see the farce that it is and unwilling to change the narrative. I loved your piece not only because you've said things that need saying but also because you offer the most wonderful solution - a new narrative :)
That's the other thing, Samira. This is yet another festival where all the work falls on us women - selecting the rakhis, buying, sending on time, increasingly internationally these days. While the same doesn't happen with the lifafas. I get them when I get them, often three or six months later. There's no occassion when the menfolk do anything like this for us. I'm glad this resonated.
Not to mention following up and asking if the rakhis have been received. I could go on but there is no point in doing so unless I change things for myself :)
Hard relate Nidhi. Every year I tell myself that I will stop sending rakhis next year. Then the next year comes along and I rinse and repeat. Of all the festivals in our country - this is the one I used to love the most and have now grown to detest - because my family remains stuck, unable to see the farce that it is and unwilling to change the narrative. I loved your piece not only because you've said things that need saying but also because you offer the most wonderful solution - a new narrative :)
That's the other thing, Samira. This is yet another festival where all the work falls on us women - selecting the rakhis, buying, sending on time, increasingly internationally these days. While the same doesn't happen with the lifafas. I get them when I get them, often three or six months later. There's no occassion when the menfolk do anything like this for us. I'm glad this resonated.
Not to mention following up and asking if the rakhis have been received. I could go on but there is no point in doing so unless I change things for myself :)
Yes, the list is endless. Amen to changing things for ourselves. Happy rakshabandhan ;)