Silent relationship between Me and my brother Munna

Growing up during my early childhood days I always had a complaint with God. I always thought God was biased towards me, as he gave me a silent brother who could never understand social things, with whom I could never have a verbal conversation, arguments or discussion.

A gap was always there, still we were inseparable. Wherever I would go, he would always follow me and wherever he would go, I was bound to follow him.

Most part of my childhood in Kalaktang, Arunachal Pradesh went searching my naughty brother here and there as most often he would run away from home. The moment I would enter the house after school, my mother would say, “Munna phir bhag Gaya hai jao usko dhundke lao.” And I without option would roam around all across the valley of Kalaktang, from Labour colony to medical colony, Hydel power colony and ask everyone “Apne Mere Bhai ko Dekha hai ???”

After walking around various colonies I would always find him somewhere near some water source, playing with water and mud. He would always be in mess, and I would start crying. Most often he used to run away the moment he would see me, and I would run behind him. He even used to throw stones at me, injuring me several times. During those days I used to hate everyone for putting me in such a situation.

This thing started when I was five years old and it continued till I turned 10, after that he was admitted in a Hearing Impaired School in Bhubaneswar. So, my everyday quest for my naughty brother stopped for a while.

As a kid my only wish used to be to have a normal brother. I wanted to have a big brother like Ruby Bhaiya and Shiva Bhaiya who used to stay adjacent to us.

When I was in sixth standard, I wanted to tie a Rakhi to Shivkant bhaiya and make him my elder brother. I even bought two Rakhis, one for Munna, my brother and another for Shivkant bhaiya who was my neighbour. I was about to visit his house to tie the Rakhi, suddenly one of my classmates Roma came to my house boasting that he got plenty of gifts after tieing Rakhi to several boys. Surprised, I asked her,”Why you tied Rakhi to several boys, you already have a brother?” to which she said, “Rakhi Bhai real Bhai thodi hota hai woh toh gift milta hai isilye bandh detein hai.” She even told me that she tied a Rakhi to Shivkant bhaiya.

I was shocked with her definition of Rakhi brother, I looked at my Rakhi which I bought for Shivkant bhaiya, became sad, cried a little and then put it into a box. That Rakhi remained with me for quite a long time, till my graduation.

Anyway Rakhi or no Rakhi, I always consider Shivkant bhaiya as my elder brother. We haven't met since 1995.

Over the years, I became too protective for my brother, Munna. He is still naughty, and often make me cry with his mischievous acts, but I consider its my duty to protect him from all the evil eyes who are ready to snatch away everything from him.

When I joined Orissa Post in 2015, I often used to reach home at 11 pm. Despite health issues, my father would always come to Jatni-Khurda Bypass to pick me up. Munna, who has learned cycle, would often request me and papa to allow him to pick me. But I was not willing to risk my life sitting on his bicycle.

But one day, while I was waiting for Papa at Jatni-Khurda Bypass, my brother came and insisted me to sit on his bicycle, he promised that he would be careful and 'Bhagwan ka naam leke mei baith gayee'.

First day was OK, but second day we both had a minor accident, and by third day I refused to take another risk. The journey on his bicycle which started in 2015 still continues. Over the years we had four major accidents, twice we almost collided head-on with a truck, and twice collided with a boundary wall. I still pray before sitting on his Bicycle. He has been requesting us to give him a bike, 'Bhagwan, Cycle mei hi woh kitna accident karta hai, Bike mei Kya karega📷🙄📷🤯.'

Anyway, I have vowed to protect him till the end, but he is also trying his bit to protect me as long as I live.