Bond of love with your sister

One of the most understated of relationships, perhaps, is the one that sisters share-it's one of the strongest bonds any girl can have. And a new study confirms that having a sister is not just about hair-pulling or tiffs over clothes. Having a sister makes a girl much happier.

Supriya Chatterjee believes her sister Sujata Hingorani is more of a friend, philosopher and guide than just a sibling and the seven-year-gap never came in their way. "We discuss almost everything under the sun," says Chatterjee, a senior manager with a real estate firm.

Indeed, researcher Laura Padilla-Walker and her colleagues at Brigham Young University have found that adolescents with a sister are less likely to report feelings like depression and unhappiness and loneliness.

Chatterjee says that sister-bonding never wanes but only gets stronger with time. After her marriage, the bond only got stronger, she says. Recalling how her sister had been a pillar of strength in difficult situations, she says, "There was a period when I felt down and out.

My sister used to take me out for long walks almost every day and provide me with the moral strength to overcome it," recalls Chatterjee. Hingorani, a landscape architect, adds that their ties have helped their husbands become great friends too.

To share and care
Psychologists too give a thumbs-up to sister-bonding-they believe the bond works in a very different way. "I have seen less sibling rivalry between sisters than brothers. Sisters bond in a stronger way as they connect more easily," says Dr Rachna Singh, psychologist and lifestyle expert.

For sisters Shalini Lambah and Nandita Abbey, it was but natural to extend their personal bonding to a business partnership-they jointly run the Herb Garden restaurant at Saket. "Having a sister is fabulous. She is my support, friend and confidante," says Lambah.

British psychologists, too, have added a new dimension to the relationship between sisters. Liz Wright and Tony Cassidy found that young people who had grown up with at least one sister tended to be happier and more optimistic, even if they were brought up by a single parent.

Brought up by a single mother, sisters Kavya and Khyati Trehan say they complement each other well. Sisterly spats do happen, but they are there for each other in difficult and happy times. "Being brought up by a single parent, we lean on each other more and are more responsible too," says Khyati, an NID student.

From music, infatuations to studies and friends, they discuss everything under the sun. "I confide in my sister a lot. She has always been a source of comfort," says Kavya. Though Khyati likes to don the role of an elder sister at times, she is all praise for her younger sibling.

"She is brilliant and creative but needs a bit of push. I am not street- smart like her. I also feel that more than brothers, it's sisters who give you space to grow," says Khyati.

In the Sharma household, three sisters Shruti, Surabhi and Rishika Sharma have made it one of warmth, love and fun. Having lost their mother early, the sisters watch out for each other and fill the vacuum left by their mother.

"My sisters are my life. I have never felt my mother's absence, thanks to them," says Surabhi Sharma, a media trainee. "We guide each other whether it's an office problem, the latest crush, or a personal problem," says Shruti, who works with an IT company.

Happier sister

Famous four
The Abraham sisters call themselves the 'famous four'. The eldest, Jenny Abraham, an advertising professional, says growing up with three sisters has been her best learning experience.

Though they live in different cities now, they are welltuned into each other's lives. When it comes to films, books or boyfriends, she trusts only her sisters. " I have a different relationship with each.

I talk everyday to the one I'm closest to - we have similar views. My relationship with another one is hot and cold - we became closer after we went our separate ways.

With the third sister, it's been most difficult ever since we were young," says Abraham. However, the 28- year- old never regretted not having a brother. "Brothers can't handle emotional issues," says Abraham.

Brothers vs sisters
Why is it that sisters make one more happy than brothers do? "That's because women talk more and understand emotional problems, whereas men don't go into details," says Dr Singh.

Chatterjee has another explanation.
"Men are not patient and need bullet points in discussions. My husband always complains that I go around in circles. They don't try to understand us," says Chatterjee.

Abraham takes on the mindset that glorifies a brother- sister relationship and pooh- poohs sister bonding: "We have festivals like raksha bandhan and bhai dooj to celebrate a brothersister relationship but nothing to celebrate the bond between sisters." Point to ponder!