'Doosri Maa' actress Neha Joshi talks about her Rakhi ritual

Mumbai, Aug 29 (IANS) Actress Neha Joshi, who essays the character of Yashoda in the television show 'Doosri Maa', has shared her Raksha Bandhan ritual ahead of the festival that happens to be on Wednesday.

Neha has an elder brother with whom she celebrates the festival with zest as the brother-sister pair indulges in some sweet cravings on the occasion of the festival.

Talking about the same, Neha said, "Every year, my brother and I eagerly celebrate this festival with immense excitement. I pray for my elder brother's long life daily, and on this special day, I make sure he knows how much I love him. Following our tradition, I draw a square on the floor for him to sit, apply a tilak on his forehead, perform aarti, and enjoy our favourite sweets together. The best part is when we exchange gifts after the puja."

The actress further mentioned that because of her shooting schedule, she cannot meet her brother this time for Raksha Bandhan but has made sure her love reaches to him in the tangible form of a rakhi.

"I am shooting for 'Doosri Maa' in Jaipur this year, so I cannot meet him in person on Raksha Bandhan. But I have sent him a beautiful rakhi by courier, hoping for another wonderful gift from him (laughs). Despite the age gap, our bond is warm and friendly. We often laugh about how he wanted a brother to play with when I was born, and now I've become that kind of brother to him. His unwavering support means the world to me, and I'm forever grateful for his encouragement," she added.

'Doosri Maa' tells the story of a woman living in Uttar Pradesh with her husband, two daughters and in-laws. Her happy, peaceful family life comes to a screeching halt when she and her husband unknowingly adopt his illegitimate child. The show captures the lead protagonist Yashoda's journey of coming to terms with her husband’s past and her conflicted, rocky relationship with her stepson.

'Doosri Maa' airs Monday to Friday on &TV.