Sibling bonding, gifts, revelry on Bhai Dooj

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Just like Rakhsha Bandhan, Bhai Dooj celebrates the beautiful bond between siblings. Since it marks the last day of the Diwali celebrations before Christmas and New Year knock again, it makes sense to pamper your brothers and sisters on Bhai Dooj. Today as we gear up to celebrate the day, celebs tell us about the most treasured presents they have ever got on Bhai Dooj.
Anshuman Jha’s Bhai Dooj gift has stayed in the memory of every member in the family. Being a younger one, he has always been lucky with gifts. “The best Bhai Dooj present for me has been the one I got when I was perhaps 12. I had wanted a pair of boots and my sister bought me a brown pair. Unfortunately, the shoes turned out to be big for my feet so I had to wait for a year or so before I eventually wore them. But the wait was special too. And now it’s a running joke in the family that my sister thought long term and intentionally bought a bigger size,” he says.
Couturier Anjalee Kapoor usually gets girlie stuff as Bhai Dooj and Rakhi gift. But there was this one time, about seven years ago, when her brother gave her a really memorable present. “He sponsored a trip to Hong Kong for the whole family. Those three days were awesome fun when we relived our childhood memories and had a blast. We went clubbing together and shopped like crazy. In today’s day and age with everyone’s lives being hectic, these holidays hold a lot of importance. Therefore, this trip was the best gift ever for me,” says Anjalee.
Freelance photographer Vikas Uniyal has another interesting story to tell. He narrates, “A few years ago, my sister lost her precious jewellery. So she started saving money to buy a replacement, before mom rebuked her for it. On the other hand, I was saving money for a Nikon lens. I was short of almost half the amount. So, on Bhai Dooj, my sister bought me the lens as I was going to Nepal with friends soon. That way she actually made my trip memorable. She is yet to buy her stuff. So this time, I’m thinking of buying her that replacement.”
My brother sucks at giving me gifts, quips fashion blogger Charu Gaur Naidu and chuckles, “He is hopeless when it comes to gifts. Even on Raksha Bandhan he has given me toothbrushes and all. But he is getting better. Last year, I got a pair of Tanishq drop earrings from him. This year, he has already bought a Kenneth Cole bag and Versace perfume for me. That way the presents are really special to me.”