Raksha Bandhan, ; A celebration of the pure bond between siblings,
Celebrated on the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Sravana (July/August), this festival celebrates the love of a brother for his sister. On this day, sisters tie rakhi on the wrists of their brothers to protect them against evil influences, and pray for their long life and happiness. They in turn, give a gift which is a promise that they will protect their sisters from any harm. Within these Rakhis reside sacred feelings and well wishes. This festival is mostly celebrated in North India. The history of Rakshabandhan dates back to Hindu mythology. As per Hindu mythology, in Mahabharata, the great Indian epic, Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas had torn the corner of her sari to prevent Lord Krishna’s wrist from bleeding (he had inadvertently hurt himself). Thus, a bond, that of brother and sister developed between them, and he promised to protect her. It is also a great sacred verse of unity, acting as a symbol of life’s advancement and a leading messenger of togetherness. Raksha means protection, and in some places in medieval India, where women felt unsafe, they tie Rakhi on the wrist of men, regarding them as brothers. In this way, Rakhi strengthens the bond of love between brothers and sisters, and revives the emotional bonding. Brahmins change their sacred thread (janoi) on this day, and dedicate themselves once again to the study of the scriptures. Raksha Bandhan is a very auspicious occasion for Indian siblings. It is celebrated between the brothers and their sisters, as a tribute and dedication for the ever-lasting bond that they share. This year, Raksha Bandhan is supposed to be on the August 2020. Sisters all around the country will express their love for their brothers, promising ever-lasting love and fraternity for them. Raksha Bandhan is a very common and widely celebrated occasion all over the country. It is celebrated in almost all Indian households. Thus,
The festival of Raksha Bandhan is a glorious and enthusiastic Indian celebratory festival which is celebrated mainly among the Hindu Indian families. It is observed between two siblings, who share the bond of being a brother and a sister – they don’t need to be related by blood; sisters tie Rakhi for their cousins as well. It is celebrated among every individual woman and an individual man who share a brotherhood of love between themselves. Sisters and brothers wait for the arrival of Raksha Bandhan throughout the year. It does not occur on one particular day every year; instead, it follows the traditional Indian calendar. Roughly, it happens sometimes in the first week of August. This year, the festival of Rakhsha Bandhan has fallen on the third of August. The festival is abundantly celebrated across the entire country and appeals to no particular age group. People from any age group, whether they be a kid or an adult, can celebrate the festival and tie rakhis on their brothers. The Hindi phrase Raksha Bandhan means a bond fraught with love and protection. The Hindi word ‘Raksha’ means Protection in English; ‘Bandhan’ means tying of a relationship. Thus on the occasion of Rakhsha Bandhan, sisters tie rakhis on their brothers’ wrists, wishing for their excellent health and well-being; consequently, the brother pledges to love their sisters ever long and to protect her from all kinds of dangers. At the very core of it, it is a ritual that is based on the pillars of protection, love, and brotherhood. The bond which brothers and sisters share between themselves is unique and bittersweet. They might be fighting at one moment, and the very next moment, they end up making up and solving their quarrel. Theirs is one of the purest and genuine friendship bonds to existing. Siblings play a very crucial role in our lives; they have seen us grow and mature over the years. They tend to know our most reliable and weakest points. They also sometimes tend to understand us better than we do ourselves. They have always been there to support us, to protect us, and to help us through troubled times. Rakhsha Bandhan is only a small way to commemorate that bond and promise for a future that is bright and shining.
Apart from the traditional methodology of the ritual, it is also an enjoyable ritual to celebrate. On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the entire family gathers together and celebrates the bond. Distant relatives and closer family come together; they dress up in new clothes and celebrate love. The sisters tie a thread (known as Rakhi) on their brothers’ wrist as a symbol of a strong bond. The sisters, in turn, are showered with love and respect. The brothers usually present them with small gifts, such as chocolates and other food items. A celebration of the pure bond between siblings, Raksha Bandhan, is an auspicious Indian festival that is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan according to the Hindu lunar calendar. A day observed as the day of siblings; this festival is usually celebrated with brothers and sisters coming together and expressing their love for each other, praying for their beautiful bonds, and exchanging gifts. While sisters tie a knot of rakhi on the wrist of the brother and pray for their well-being, brothers promise them protection throughout their life. The perfect festival to spread their message of love and care, this occasion is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over India. While we all indulge in the festivities of Raksha Bandhan, most of us are unaware of the fact why Rakhi is celebrated in India and what is its significance. In this essay on Raksha Bandhan, we will discuss the importance of the festival and the reason why it is being celebrated in India for ages. Read on to find out everything about this auspicious festival.
Known to be the day of love and protection, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated between siblings to bestow love and affection for each other and to make their bond even stronger. However, if we dive into our history and mythological legends, we dig that Rakhi is not only a symbol of love and protection among just brothers and sisters, but as per the legend Indra and Indrani, Indra’s consort also tied a sacred thread on his wrist to protect him from the demons. Hence, it is signified that Rakhi was also tied in the past to protect our loved ones from evil. In Indian history, Rakhi has also been used in the past to bring together the Hindus and the Muslims during the Bengal partition that took place during the struggle for Independence in India. Rabindranath Tagore used rakhi to bring harmony and brotherhood between the two religions to cease the decision of parting Bengal by the British. This legend goes back to the time of Mahabharata when Lord Krishna had hurt her finger when he had sent his Sudarshan Chakra from his finger to behead Shishupala. It is believed that Draupadi then bandages his finger with a piece of cloth from her saree. Lord Krishna, who was utterly moved by her care, promised to protect her from all evil and odds. According to this legend, rakhi is believed to be the sacred thread of protection. It is not necessarily tied by a sister on a brother’s wrist but also to the ones who we love. The story of Indra and Indrani goes hereby that when a battle of gods and demons took place, Indrani, the wife of Indra, tied a sacred thread in the wrist of her husband for protection against the demons. In Indian mythology, it so happened that Goddess Laxmi once disguised herself as a Brahmin woman and tied a rakhi to King Bali on the day of Shravan Purnima. Hereafter she revealed herself and asked the king to free his husband Lord Vishnu and let them return to Vaikunth. It is believed that Yama tied a sacred thread on the wrist of his brother the Yamuna to protect him from the curse of deas and mutilation from his stepmother, Chhaya. It is believed that soon after the thread was tied on his wrist, his curse was lifted all because of the love of his sister. As mentioned earlier, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan (August) according to the Hindu calendar, and therefore the festival is also known as Rakhi Purnima. This festival is celebrated with different names in different parts of India, such as the people of the south celebrate Rakhi Purnima as Avani Avattam, and in some regions of North India, it is marked as Kajari Purnima. Well, we hope that this Raksha Bandhan Story gives you all the information you needed on this significant festival in the Indian culture, and we hope you gained a lot of other useful information on this festival.
By Er Taraprasad Mishra