The Eternal Bond

Mohona Chowdhury

She sat with her hair untied; curling the ends around her finger. Her reddish brown hair – naturally coloured. It was truly one-of-a-kind.

Her toes were dipped in the cold water of the swimming pool. She was lost in her thoughts, her mind wandering back to the memories of last year. On that day too, the sun had been shining over their mansion. That very day he had come back from war. She had missed his loving cuddles. His pranks and cheekiness; his presents; his protectiveness and stubbornness when it came to her well-being.

Just like today, she had been waiting for him with the puja thali. She had decorated the thali with sandalwood paste, tika, diya, few grains of rice and sweets and something special; made with her own hands. She had been sad though. It was indeed a special day but it didn’t look festive at all. Her father wasn’t home and mom had gone to the temple. It was just like any other day. But she had not skipped any rituals. She had worn new clothes and decorated the doorway with a colourful rangoli.

It all changed the moment she had seen him enter through the rangoli – decorated doorway and she skipped in pure joy. They had hugged each other for what seemed an eternity. She then dragged him to the puja room, took the thali and greeted him. She put the tika on his forehead. Then she tied the colourful thread around his wrist sending up a prayer that he should be safe. Then it was time to feed each other their favourite sweet – kaju barfi. After all it was Rakhi, the day to celebrate their bond-an eternal one. How could she not tie rakhi to her beloved brother ?

She suddenly shook herself out of her thoughts. She came back to reality. She was confident that nothing would change. Their special day was here, once again with the sun shinning over their mansion.

She looked at the gate and her heart danced with joy as she spotted her twin. The reddish brown hair, naturally coloured and one-of-a-kind hair. No make it two-of-a-kind. After all they were like peas of the same pod.

Image Source: Internet