What? You've never heard of the age-old, tradition-riddled, most sexist holiday on the Indian calendar?
The idea is to strengthen the bond between a brother and sister. The sister ties a cheap-ass string around her brother's wrist, and promises to "pray" for him. In return, the brother is expected to bestow lavish gifts and money on his sister on the spot and promise to protect her. The string, called the 'rakhi', is supposed to be a reminder of that promise.
Most holidays either honor one person (Mother's Day, a birthday, Father's Day) or at least have the illusion of equality, where everyone celebrates and reaps the rewards in the same way. Rakhi seems to destroy that notion of a holiday, and unabashedly skews the day in favor of the sister. She is able to enjoy material wealth as well as a promise of protection, whereas the brother just gets a string and maybe a couple of sweets.
Don't get me wrong, I think the holiday itself is a great idea, and helps bring siblings closer. I just think the way it's celebrated is outdated and has contributed to the inferior status of women in Indian society.
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