Fancy gifts and year-long lifts: The many uses of Rakhi brothers

Granny might have told you that on Rakshabandhan, you get to feel like the world revolves around you, because on this day, your brother(s) take a vow to always take care of you. But when your brother behaves on this day just like he does on any other day, does grandmother’s version sound too good to be true? Well, not for Meerut girls who have mooh-bole Rakhi brothers to make the day a special one for them.From overcompensating with big gifts to taking care of the sisters’ commuting all year long to even grinning and bearing the heartache as the girl they had a crush on dishes out a rakhi for them – mooh-bola bhaiyas in the city, say girls, have made Rakshabandhan every bit worth the wait.
Rakhi brother overcompensates with ‘cool’ gifts
Girls in the city say that while the brothers they share the house with take them for granted, having a ‘Rakhi brother’ is like having Santa Claus for a brother, who not only bothers to get gifts but also overdoes the gifting to prove their love to the sister, say girls. Saloni Garg, 18, says, “I have a mooh-bola bhai, and I am always excited to celebrate Rakhi with him. He gives me really cool gifts. Last year, he gave me an expensive camera. When I tie a rakhi to my real brother, I am the one who buys gifts. But my rakhi brother makes me feel like the festival is equally important to him, if not more. He buys me lots of fancy gifts, and that obviously feels nice.”
Brotherly pick-and-drop service too
While the sentimental value of the festival can make for a beautiful motion picture, whom did a little practical help ever hurt? Girls say that the Rakhi brothers’ love isn’t limited to the day of Rakshabandhan, as they take care of the sister’s commute from home to college and back home all through the year. Prerna Sharma*, 25, says, “I had a mooh-bola bhai in college who used to drop me home every day. It was better than having a boyfriend – I wasn’t expected to do anything in return!” Agrees 24-year-old Karnika Roy*, “It’s a situation where the girl gets all the benefits without dating the guy or without doing all the sisterly stuff that you do with the real brother. I won’t say I did it, but I know girls who get their mooh-bola bhais to drop them home every day after college. It’s just safe to have a Rakhi brother who you can go out with, who protects you, gives you a free drop home, and you never have to worry that he will ask you out or will keep fighting with you all the time like your sibling does.”
A way to deal with the majnoo friend?
According to Meerutwaalis, rakhis come in handy when they have to deal with friend-zoned guy friends who are too deeply in love with them to get the hint, and at the same time, too important as friends to be let go of. They just tie a rakhi on the guy’s wrist, pretending to be oblivious of the guy’s romantic feelings for them. Ashna Gupta*, 26, tells us, “Some years ago, I met a Mumbai guy online. I really liked this guy as a friend, and never wanted our friendship to go sour. The problem with internet buddies is that they suddenly develop romantic feelings for you, and then you are in a tough spot, because not only do you have to break the guy’s heart, you also have to deal with the loss of the friend. So I made him my Rakhi brother. Now, whenever I go to Mumbai, I hang out with him, and it’s not awkward in the least.” Swati Singh, 22, says, “I got to know through my friends that a guy in my class liked me, so I made him my Rakhi brother. I am the kind of person who can’t say ‘no’ to people, and why would anybody want to hurt a classmate anyway, right? So I nipped the awkwardness in the bud, and that worked out well for me, because now this guys keeps getting me gifts and also looks out for me in a very brotherly way.”
As rakhi brothers, the guys at least get the girls’ attention
Before you feel like the poor Rakhi brothers are being taken for a ride by the girls, listen to some of the guys’ side of the story. They think that as long as the girl is spending time with them, why bother about the technicalities of her being a Rakhi sister or a girlfriend or even just a friend? Nikhil Rastogi*, a 26-year-old, says, “When I was in college, I was extremely shy, and couldn’t interact with girls at all. Luckily, some of the girls in my class, thinking that I was a sweet guy, made me their Rakhi brother. And it was so much fun, because all the other guys who wanted to date those girls would get jealous of me, because the girls would always hang out me. As long as they are spending time with you, who cares what they call you?”
*(Some names have been changed on request)