A Brother's Promise

Once upon a time, there lived a poor family in the outskirts of a prosperous city in Gujarat. The father worked in a post office as a post master while the mother made baskets and sold flowers. The brother travelled everyday to the nearby city to sell the baskets. The sister helped her mother to sell the flowers. one day the sister saw a man selling shiny and colorful rakhis on a cart. She requested the mother to buy her a Rakhi so that she can tie to her brother. In the city the brother saw many carts filled with colourful rakhis and thought ' The festival of Raksha Bandhan is fast approaching.

'Minnu must have bought me one too and it would be very bad if I didn't bring anything for her'. Thinking so, the brother bought her a pair of colorful ribbons. The following morning she tied the Rakhi to her brother and wished him. The brother looked at his Rakhi happily and gave the sister his gift and promised her that he will protect  Her from all evil. Years passed by and they grew up. The sister was renowned for her beauty and many men came for her hand in marriage. The brother was aware of it and wanted her to marry a man whom he can trust. So he decided that he would give his sister to his best friend. But the sister was already in love with somebody else.

After fixing the marriage, she went to her brother and told him that she was in love with a very rich businessman living in nearby city and he loved her too. But brother was not sure and said that he may leave her after he gets what he wants. But the sister was adamant on her word and on the day of the wedding she eloped with the man she loved and married him in a short scale ceremony. The brother was furious and never talked with his sister again. Now the brother was a richer businessman than his brother in law and he and his parents lived a life of luxury.

Later, he married a beautiful woman and had two children. He forgot the fact that he had a sister and lived happily with his wife, children and parents. One day the mother hurriedly ran towards the brother yelling ' Son!! Son!! Son, Minnu, minnu is in danger'. ' The businessman and his family are torturing her. I have just heard.' As soon as the brother heard his sister's name he shouted ' Mother!! Never do speak of her nor think of her. She disobeyed us only to marry him, now let her suffer at the hands of the same man whom she so willingly eloped'. Then the mother said ' Oh really, do you remember bittu, during your childhood when Minnu tied you a Rakhi, what did you promise her??.

You promised her that you will protect her from all kinds of evil. Now you are breaking the promise you made to her. And I know that my son never breaks promises he made to others. The brother thought for a while and rushed to the house of the businessman. The house was dilapidated and pieces of wood covered the entrance. He felt he came to the wrong address and decided to retreat. When he was about to retreat he heard a voice of a woman crying and pleading. He thought it was sister's voice and crashed the door to reveal his sister and the businessman holding her hair.

He commanded ' leave Minnu alone Raghavendra or else '. The businessman shook her head and threw her against the wall, but luckily the brother saved her. He was so angry that he shook the businessman and threw him against the same wall the businessman threw his sister. The businessman pounced on him and a ferocious fight ensured. The brother came out victorious and the businessman was taken away by the police. After that the brother, sister, his wife, his children, and the parents began living happily.