Bhardutiya is an important festival in Mithila, dedicated to the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day, a sister prays for her brother’s long life, happiness, and well-being. This Maithili song captures the warmth of the brother-sister bond. Here, the sister writes a letter to her brother, urging him to come and visit her this Bhardutiya. She also asks for her favourite treats: poori, curd, and pidikia (gujiya). In her excitement, she cannot sleep. As soon as she hears the cuckoo, she wakes up, cleans the courtyard, and decorates it with a beautiful aripan made from pithar (rice paste). She keeps looking down the path, hoping her brother will arrive soon. She prays to the gods, “Please send my brother safely,” and makes a vow to offer sweets like laddoo and peda if he arrives. She also hopes he will bring earrings for her, and playfully says that if he does not come, she will not speak to him. But the day passes and her brother does not arrive. Her heart breaks. The food she had prepared with so much excitement, including poori and tilkorak taruaa (a traditional dish), remains untouched. In the end, she says in sorrow that if her brother does not come, she too will not eat anything today.