As I have mentioned before, I am not a religious kinda guy. However, once a year, I get to join in with the whole religious rabble, when a ceremony called Raksha Bandhan comes around. It is ostensibly ‘Sister-day’ . The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread, by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her.

I wrote a blog, right at the beginning of blogging, about my sister. My sister once said to me, when I was massively upset about my father being sick, that no matter what happened, she would always be there for me. She said to me, that actually there was no one on the planet closer to her than me, because we are the only two people made up of the DNA from my mum and dad.

When we finally become orphans, when the inevitable passing of my parents occurs, I will be happy to have my sister in the world.

I know most people love their siblings, it is almost a given, but over the years I have realised that it may not be actually true. Sometimes siblings can’t stand one another. That is cool, you can’t choose your family after all, but I really do care about my sister. We are very different people. She is methodical, and definitely more fiscally responsible than I am. I am a bit of a ‘wing it’ kind of person, and definitely fiscally irresponsible (I am better now than I used to be). But what my sister is, is always there for me. When I get in a strop, angry at someone, or upset, she is the one I turn to. Why? Because she listens. Friends listen, as do my parents, but when it comes to actually listening and venturing an actual opinion, it is my sister.

We don’t always agree, and again that is a good thing. It means that when I am doing something stupid, she can point it out and vice versa. Sometimes I do feel like I am a fire fighter, but that is because she is a Modha woman, and they are an uncontrollable, explosively tempered, stubborn mules.  But that is just what makes her great. I enjoy nothing more than engaging in a good old rant with her. Wind her up and watch her go as the old adage goes.

Anyway, I wrote this because it is sister day tomorrow, and I just want to say that she is awesome, and I am lucky to have her in my life. . I have sent her present, a sewing box, hopefully she likes it.

- Anand