Relationships are the essence of any festivity and celebration. Each occasion brings together the family which calls for a celebration. Raksha Bandhan is one such beautiful occasion that celebrates the pristine, unadulterated love and affection between brothers and sisters. It is the day when brothers and sisters pray for each other’s well-being and happiness.
Brothers fondly flaunt the rakhis tied on their wrist by their dearest sisters, while sisters are showered with gifts and chocolates, etc, and who most lovingly brag about them to their friends.
But in true essence, it is a symbol of love, togetherness, and support for each other.
Why then many of us shy away from acknowledging our siblings if he/she is differently-abled?
Why then many of us abstain from taking their names if they have some condition? It’s not because we love our sibling any less, it’s mostly because of the stigma attached to differently-abled. It takes great courage to openly acknowledge them.
One such unsung hero is Radhika.
Her brother is severely mentally challenged who is aged 40 but with a brain of a 5-year-old. He is almost blind. But to Radhika, he is her world, her little baby.
Radhika’s journey has not been easy. She has seen many families being duped into believing that is an ailment and also cheated of all their savings by visiting temples, or performing certain rituals which can magically cure the mentally challenged kids. She has bravely fought to love and protect her brother, while he suffered for 23 long years.
She has seen him suffer, and has herself suffered both mentally and emotionally along with him. Sometimes, she even had to strap down his hands so that he wouldn’t hurt himself after surgeries.
Today, they both share a very strong bond. Her brother is happy, kind and brave. He likes to share his food and smiles even while going through painful surgical processes. Radhika, on the other hand, is quite possessive about him and always tries to protect him. But she openly acknowledges him as her lovable brother.
We salute such brave spirits who have broken the stigma and stood by their loved ones throughout.
This Raksha Bandhan, let us all take the oath to be supportive and proud of our siblings irrespective of how they are.
Let’s try and collectively work to break the stigma on mental health and spread awareness about it.
Story Source: The Logical India
