Where Is Her Brother? Poem by Bishnupada Sethi

Quietly I lined up
Behind her
As she started selecting
A rakhi,
Which she has been doing
Once in a year for years
To send to her brother living abroad
Which she did till last year.

She would pick up her choicest piece
Do some offerings to the God
Pray for the well being of her brother
Who in turn held promises
To give her all protection
Till the last breath.
She would expect a call
On the auspicious day
That her parcel was well received
And a photo with a Rakhi put on his wrist
Would complete the expectations of the day.

It has been a quiet ritual
Since they were brought up small
Which built a relation
Of trust and love
Between a brother and a sister
As they grew up
Went to the school together
And got physically separated
Obeying the social norms.

After she bought few pieces
As she paid for those
She couldn't hold her tears
Since she didn't know
What to do this year
In which address to mail the Rakhi now.
As all addresses she knew
Had been erased
By the cruel hand of destiny.

It was not easy to see her sobbing
For she was in search
Of her still young brother
While she knew for sure
He is not anywhere around
She could send her parcel
And confirm about its receipt
Like any other sister of India.