As a kid my brother was fascinated by cops in their baggy khakhi shorts and their long rifles. That was until he was 7-years old …and Sholay came along. After that his ambition was to become a ‘daku’ like Gabbar Singh! We used to play this game where I used to be Kalia. I mean I was ALWAYS Kalia. Then we used to enact our roles. He would go:

Him: “Tera kya hoga kalia”

Me: “Sarkar maine aapka namak khaya hai”

Him: “Ab goli kha!”

And then he would shoot me, laugh like a villain and blow into his imaginary gun. While I played dead to the world. It was his favourite game and we played it everyday!

His other favourite time pass was playing Bruce Lee. Where I (of course), was the ‘bad person’ who gets bashed up. He would go "eeeeyaaaa" and really bash me up until I turned purple, howled and yelled for mom. Poor mom had to come running to rescue from a charged up Bruce Lee on a daily basis.

Lest I forget his other exciting ways of passing time included pulling my pigtails and shouting ‘chal merey ghoday tik tik tik’; using my plump arms as his punching bag, rolling my ears and squeezing them to see if they turned red (as indeed they did - much to his glee each day!). He also convinced me that my red school socks was sure to enrage the bull that we passed on our way to school. As we walked to school each morning (me already trembling, he with his chest out in the air) – he would go “It’s looking at you. Start running. Start running. Oh my God it’s getting angry…” And I would take to my heels, not waiting to hear more!

Oh yes and every evening we played tennis on the dining table! He was always got to be Mcenroe (tantrums and all), while I had to be Bjon Borg. I always had to lose. Always. It was a rule.

Then he had these moments of intense bursts of love and affection for me – when he hugged and squeezed me till I choked! Loudly singing “phoolon ka taron ka sabka kehna hai, ek hazaron mein meri behna hai”

When I look back today, I realize it is all these little episodes with him that I remember about my childhood. They make laugh today…

Despite all his bullying he always helped me with my homework (specially Maths…Damn! He was so good at it!). Always got me out of trouble. Always saved me from the bullies. Was always protective about me without ever letting me know. When I was sad he did such clownish things that I had to laugh. I remember he saved me once from a mad, rabid dog that came chasing me!

I can never forget my first day of college... I missed the bus and was sure to be late and was almost in tears because I did not want to be late on my first day. He took me doubles on his cycle all the way to my college – a distance of 12 kms!

For all his bullying and bashing up, he wept on my wedding day because I was leaving home and going away…

Today he treats me like a princess! And I’m proud to say that wherever in the world I have been – I have never missed sending him a Rakhi. Through all the ups and downs in life, our bond has only grown stronger. I hope it remains this way. Forever.