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#SiblingStories is a blogging train hosted by Ila Varma in collaboration with the Brand #angtatva. 37 esteemed bloggers from the blogging fraternity have joined hands to participate in the Blog train for #SiblingTalk to revive the sweet and tickling hours spent with loving siblings and relive the golden memories of the past.
I am Kalpana Manivannan, a former Biology teacher turned urban farmer who loves her farm as much as teaching and blogging.
Talking about siblings, all I could do is thank my lucky stars for giving me the best of both worlds; yes, a brother and a sister. So, I truly consider myself very lucky to experience both these unique bonds.
I was four years old when my family welcomed my younger brother and another four years later, a younger sister. So, for most of the childhood years, being four years apart, my brother and I were more like buddies, playing and fighting like crazy while my sister was the baby of our family.
Pic Courtesy: Author’s ownSo, it was my brother and I, for most part of our schooling years…We would fight like there was no tomorrow, tease each other mercilessly but we were also the sole companions for each other on those long summer afternoons spent lazing on the veranda while our mom gave us stern instructions not a make a peep sound as she tried to get our baby sister to nap.
Playing as silently as possible, inventing new games along the way to keep ourselves occupied was one of my fondest memories of childhood; that period is frozen in my memory probably because that was the only time my brother and I, spent together without fighting, and had to don our creative hats to invent new games that can be played between the two of us without making the slightest sound. We would eagerly wait for the slow moving afternoon to pass, so we could get out to meet our friends on the playground to play a game of cricket or pittoo.
Occasionally, on an unusually hot day, mom would be generous enough to give each of us a one rupee coin to get an ice-cream from the ice-cream push-cart which passed our street tinkering the bells…oh the sweet sound of the bells! They were heavenly to listen to, making us hope that we might get lucky enough to get one of the sugary icy cool treats to quench the heat.
On such lucky days, as soon as we got hold of the precious money, we would scamper out literally falling over each other, making a mad rush towards the ice-cream cart and restlessly wait while ice-cream uncle picked the flavour we wanted. We would longingly hold on to our treats and sit on the front porch and slurp away; sometimes fervently licking our palms and even our elbows as the sugary liquid flowed down due to the sweltering heat…not a care of who is watching or not because everyone around is basically doing the same.
You would think my brother and I being four years apart in age, would maintain some decorum of elder sis and younger bro quotient that is mostly depicted in our movies, isn’t it; the typical “mere bhaiya, mere chanda, mere anmol rattan” or “phoolon ka taaron ka sabka kehna hai, ek hazaron mein meri behna hai” types…Well…you wish! None whatsoever. We were literally pulling each other’s hair out or twisting each other’s arm; but when it was anyone else trying to so much so, even verbally say anything even remotely hurtful to one of us, they had it from us.
As we both grew older, we mellowed down and were more of a confidante to each other. I remember one particular incident when we had a heart-to-heart conversation during my brother’s college years about his apprehensions over the initial struggle into the work force. We had spent hours together on our terrace, talking about our insecurities and stepping into the big scary world. For the first time, we felt like mature adults discussing issues and sharing our deepest fears and anxieties. I can still vividly picture ourselves on the terrace of our house, sitting on the parapet wall, talking into the wee hours, feeling light after our little chat…the feeling you get when you unload the burden off your shoulder, without the worry of being judged; this is a bond like none other.
Pic Courtesy: Author’s ownNow my sister and I, that’s a special bond made in heaven as well. As we grew older, the age gap seemed to reduce and eight years doesn’t look that big a gap. And that’s how we ended up sharing a great rapport with each other. Ironically it was after my marriage that the bond between my sister and me became so much more closer. I still have her inland letters written to me so sweetly about how she misses me at home. And just like that our relationship grew leaps and bounds over phone calls and hand-written letters. Isn’t it ironic that all of a sudden going farther away brought us much more closer together. Distance makes the heart grow fonder I guess.
It was during the time when her marriage proposals were being discussed that we became even more close. I was someone she could disclose her anxieties about the life unknown after marriage and the fear of leaving her familiar roots like only sisters could. That was also the time when we formed a deep bond of trust and friendship.
From considering her a baby all my life to becoming best of friends, I don’t know how and when the lines got blurred and boundaries started fading. She is my closest friend and confidante till date and we share and discuss anything and everything without an ounce of hesitation. We are each other’s sounding board, friend, philosopher and guide so to speak. We can fall back on each other no matter what and know for sure that we will have each other’s back.
Pic Courtesy: Author’s ownI have no idea where the eight years of age difference disappeared to? Probably she is wise beyond her age and I am too silly for my age…something that helps bridge the gap, I guess; whatever it may be, but when I talk to her I feel like I am talking to a friend and I can tell her anything and she feels the same way. She’s the reason I believe in the saying that when you have a sister, you have a friend for life. She has been my kids godmother even before she was married or a mother herself and that speaks a lot about her love and devotion.
Now, years later, though each one of us is in a different city and a different continent, separated by distance, the bond that we built over the years with love, respect and understanding stays on strong, growing from strength to strength.
I could go on and on…but I guess you get the idea of the bond we siblings share.
I would like to thank my dear friend Shivani Salil for introducing me on her blog post. She is a Doctor by profession and a blogger by passion. Please do visit her blog https://shivanisalil.wordpress.com/ where she shares her beautiful sibling story among her other amazing works.
Now, let’s head over to Monika Suri’s http://alubhujia.com/en/ where she blogs about various things from personal journey to travel and fiction. Please stop by to read the next post on #SiblingStories.
To read all the posts on the Sibling Stories blog train, visit this link
