Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Tag

siblings

Browsing
DUB Speak

Growing Up with Siblings

By

2nd May is celebrated as Brothers and Sisters Day. Let us cherish the bond and understand how they impact our lives.

Growing up with siblings is one roller coaster ride. They are a bunch of people you can’t live with, in peace, but definitely cannot imagine your lives without. My growing up years wouldn’t be half as fun and interesting as they had been if not were for my siblings. Our faintest memories include pulling each other’s hair part one moment while being partners of crime in our mischief the very next moment. Sakshi from Kamala Nehru College says, “My younger brother makes my life hell but I start missing him the moment he is not at home.”

A sibling relationship is likely to be the most enduring of our lives. The impact they have on our young and adult lives is enormous – they shape our history and our character, to a far greater extent than is usually acknowledged.Siblings are your first friends, the ones you confide in with all your secrets. Simran Sharma from Gargi College recalls the nights spent talking to her sister about anything and everything. She found her best friend in her elder sister.

On being asked about her favorite memory with her sister, Kajal from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College shared that how her sister saved her from their father when she came back from a late night party.

Keeping jokes aside, siblings are also the most dependable people you could lean on at any hour. I remember falling back on them during the toughest period of my life and them holding my back when I needed the most. They can be your worst critics giving you reality checks from time to time and your number one cheer leader clapping the loudest at our victories. From lost jobs to bad break ups, if you need a hug or a shoulder to cry on, your sibling will be there in seconds.

There’s a lot that we need to acknowledge and thank our siblings for. On this day, let us thank the pillars of our lives without whom life wouldn’t be the same.

 

Feature Image credits: Unsplash

Shreya Agrawal

[email protected]

 

 

 

Keep Reading
By
Top Picks

A Guide for Brothers with a Tight Budget this Raksha Bandhan

By

The Indian festive season has kicked off on Sunday with Raksha Bandhan.  Raksha Bandhan in Sanskrit literally means “the knot/bond of protection”. On this day brothers take a pledge to protect and take care of their sisters under all circumstances, and the sisters pray to God to protect their brothers from all evil. The rakhi signifies the bond or the knot that sisters tie on their brothers’ wrists.

Brothers usually give cash or other gifts to their sisters on this occasion. The biggest question for all brothers in such a situation is what to gift their sister. While girls are said to be more sensitive and thoughtful when it comes to buying gifts, boys are said to lack the essence in this department. To make life easier for those brothers who are running on a tight budget this festive season, here is a list of some budget-friendly gifts that are also easily accessible:

Power Bank

If your sibling already has a smartphone, you can get her something that will help keep the device fueled. A good power bank can go a long way and it would come in handy, especially if your sister is a college-going student.

Organic Tea Combinations with Detox Products

Organic tea and detox products are the new ‘health’ trend in India. If your sister is a fitness freak and likes taking care of her body, gifting her teas infused with diuretics, laxatives and stimulants would make her happy, besides keeping her energy boosted and strengthening her immune system.

Smartphone Case

A smartphone case is an accessory that would help keep your sister’s phone secure from drops and falls. You can even get the phone case customised with an aesthetic design or an assortment of images of your sister.

Movie DVDs, Posters, and Merchandise

If your sister is a cinephile, you can buy her a set of her favourite movie DVDs or maybe take her out for a movie night. Besides, you can also buy her posters of her favourite movie stars or merchandise of her favourite movies

Headphones

If your sister has to commute often-especially in the metro-and loves listening to music or is a T.V. series fanatic, she would not like anything more than noise cancelling headphones to make her daily commute bearable. Out of all technology-related materials, this is comparatively cheap and easily available as well.

Running Shoes

If your sister trains in the gym or likes taking long walks, you can gift her a pair of cross-training sneakers. You can also buy them online, which will allow you to save quite a lot of money. But just ensure that you buy a pair of the right size.

Bags

From clutches to handbags, bags have always been a must-have possession for both college-going girls and working women. Make sure to do your research first before picking a bag for your sister.  If your sister is a college student, you can gift her an elegant tote bag that is both useful and beautiful at the same time. If she is a working woman, gift her a bag that is large enough to hold all her essentials.

 

Feature Image Credits: Times Now

Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DUB Speak

Redefining Raksha Bandhan

By

When asked what is Raksha Bhandhan, most would say that it is about tying rakhis and receiving gifts, some would go into the significance of it and say that it is about protecting sisters and gaining their goodwill and blessings. And then there are those who might find this very premise unsettling.

A strand of feminists has found the idea of Raksha Bandhan problematic because of its original meaning. The word raksha means ‘protection, and Raksha Bandhan refers to the sacred thread that begets protection from brothers. Clearly, this idea of women needing protection has not gone down with many.

But, in today’s post-modern and capitalist world, is Raksha Bandhan still a sensitive festival in terms of gender equations. No doubts it has those roots, and always will. But I send my brother a rakhi every monsoon, and I definitely don’t demand any protection in exchange. However, I do make it a point to get him the nicest rakhi and the nicest card from an Archies or a Hallmark. (Sadly, I cannot afford the more embellished ‘designer’ ones.)

So, what does that tell you about Raksha Bandhan? As for me, it is that one time of the year when I think about sending something nice to my brother. And I do so only because I think that it is a nice gesture to make when you live miles apart.

Yes, I know that the premise of Raksha Bandhan is a patriarchal one, but I do not celebrate it for that. I celebrate it like it were a ‘Siblings Day’ of sorts. For the critics of Raksha Bandhan, I completely understand the validity of your argument and also the logic behind it, i.e., to uproot patriarchy one has to uproot all social practices associated with it. To those who celebrate the festival, make it about indulgent celebrations and gifts if you must, make it about remembering your sibling on that special day; but don’t make it about the brother protecting the sister.

Let it be about the relationship that siblings share, it can be about that one time when your brother told on you when you sneaked out of the house or that time when you took his phone and got mischievous to take revenge. As human beings, as especially those that share such strong connections, it is only natural that we will stand by each other and protect each other in times of adversity.

This Raksha Bandhan, make it about celebrating that mutual connection.

 Image credits: webneel.com

Keep Reading
By