The Indian festival of Rakshabandan – the festival celebrating sibling love was observed in mid August. This year we had a very special celebration as family had flown in from all over the world (UK and Kenya) to attend our daughter’s wedding in early August – and these cousins for the first time in 30 years got to tie the rakhi (string bracelet) on each other in person. Who knows when this opportunity will come again!

Cousins tie rakhi in Half Moon Bay after decades of mailing one to each other

These young cousins are meeting around Rakshabandan for the first time and tying a rakhi for the first time

What a special Rakhi celebration!

I’ve been tying a rakhi on my two local cousins for over two decades 💕

One for cousin Nando.

One for cousin Mahesh

Sister’s rakhi’s

One from Anjali to Sri

Sisters Anika and Kamya exchange rakhis 💕

Rakhi for the new brother-in-law too 💙

Sibling love 🥰

Pics with the entire family

Selfies and family pics 🥰

Time to chill

Dinner is ready

Appetizers of chaat made by Vijay and Priya 😋

Dinner made by me and cousins Uma and Meera

A beautiful Rakshabandan celebration ❤️

Friends who are like sisters deserve a rakhi too 💕

When you have a friend who is like a sister, we start a new tradition of tying a rakhi on each other. That’s what my friend Rose and I started a few years ago. This year we were on holiday at Sea Ranch together when Rose surprised me with a handmade rakhi made by her! And she got to tie it at beautiful Sea Ranch by the ocean.