Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) Festival

The bond between a brother and sister is unique and beyond description in words. The brother-sister relationship is very special, and it is given importance in every part of the world. However, when it comes to India, the relationship becomes even more important as there is a festival called “Raksha Bandhan” dedicated to brotherly love.
It is a special Hindu festival celebrated in countries like India and Nepal as a symbol of love between brother and sister. The occasion of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar in the month of Shravan, which usually falls in the month of August of the Gregorian calendar.

Raksha Bandhan’s meaning
Raksha Bandhan is made up of two words, namely “protect” and “bond”. According to Sanskrit terminology, the occasion means “the bond or knot of protection,” where “Raksha” means protection and “Bandhan” signifies the verb to bind. Also, the festival symbolizes the eternal love of the brother-sister relationship, which does not mean just blood relations. It is also celebrated between cousins, sisters and sisters-in-law (Bhabhi), bua (aunt) and nephew (Bhateja), and other such relations.

Who Started the Raksha Bandhan celebration and why?

Nobel poet Rabindranath Tagore encouraged celebrating this festival at the partition of Bengal in 1905. He wanted to create a strong bonding between the different communities through this festival.

He encouraged Hindus and Muslims to tie a Rakhi on each other’s hands, symbolizing brotherhood and love for their community. Celebration of this festival was a powerful attempt against the British rulers and their effort to partition Bengal and divisions between Hindus and Muslims.

The importance of Raksha Bandhan among different religions in India
Hinduism: The festival is mainly celebrated by Hindus in the northern and western parts of India, as well as in countries like Nepal, Pakistan, and Mauritius. Jainism: The occasion is also revered by the Jain community, where Jain priests give ceremonial sutras to the devotees. Sikhism: This festival dedicated to brother-sister love is celebrated by Sikhs as “Richardi” or Rakhari.
Reasons for celebrating this festival.
The festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated as a symbol of duty between brothers and sisters. The occasion is meant to celebrate any type of brother-sister relationship between men and women who may not be biologically related.
On this day, a sister ties a Rakhi on her brother’s wrist and prays for his prosperity, health, and well-being. In return, the brother gives gifts and promises to protect his sister from any harm, under all circumstances. This festival is also celebrated between siblings, distant family members, and relatives or cousins.
Raksha Bandhan form of Indian culture
Raksha Bandhan is given great importance in India and is celebrated with great pomp every year. In India, there is a state holiday on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Raksha Bandhan is a symbol of India’s culture and civilization. This symbolizes the importance given to Raksha Bandhan in India, based on the detailed description given below.
Rakhi is a sacred thread that lives off the love of a sister and her affection for her brother. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers and express their love for them. After receiving Rakhi from a sister, a brother takes full responsibility for protecting his sister. In the Indian tradition, the thread of Rakhi is considered stronger than the chain of the link as it binds the brother and sister with overlap in the circle of love and trust.
Any Indian festival is incomplete without traditional Indian festivities, such as gatherings, festivities, sweets, and gifts to begin with, accompanied by all the noise, singing, and dancing. The festival is a celebration of unity as a joint family, and the festival “Raksha Bandhan” is no exception.
Love and self-activation between a brother and his sister towards a unique cause is the theme of this great festival. It is a festival that is mainly celebrated by the people of the northern and western parts of India, but people from other parts of the country also celebrate this festival with the same Farvour. Though the mode of celebration may differ from region to region, the central theme of this great festival remains the same.

As far as the traditions and rituals are concerned, the sisters prepare a “Pooja Thali” with divas, roil, rice, and Rakhi’s. They worship gods and goddesses, tie Rakhi’s on the wrists of their brothers, and pray for their well-being. On the other hand, brothers profess their love with the sacrifice that they will be by their sisters sides and protect them from every fall throughout their lives. Brothers also give symbolic gifts to their sisters.
Since ancient times, the festival has been celebrated in the same way and according to the same traditions. As the lifestyles of people change with the times, today this festival is widely celebrated. This day promotes a bond and divine connection between siblings. Distant physical space can sometimes bring a nectarine feeling between siblings, and this auspicious day provides a link for them to come together. The joyous union, the rare family reunion, and the primal feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood call for a grand celebration.
Amid chanting, sisters tie the sacred thread of love to their brothers and wish them well by placing roil and chawal on their foreheads. Sisters give gifts and blessings to their brothers. The brothers also wish her a good life and vow to take care of her. Brothers give return gifts to their sisters. The gift is an acknowledgement of his love for his sister, a commemoration of their togetherness, and a symbol of their vows. There are many historical evidence that remind us of the importance of this festival, and every time it occurs, it emphasizes the importance that has been attached to it.
Although this is the end of the rituals in a way, the celebration begins later. For parents, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is a medium for family reunion. Delicious dishes, wonderful sweets, etc. are cooked on this day. Family members exchange gifts with other well-wishers and kin and share personal experiences of their lives with each other.
For those who are unable to meet each other, Rakhi cards, e-Rakhi, and Rakhi through the mail become the medium of their communication and sharing of their love. Handmade Rakhi and a self-made Rakhi card are just the representation of personal feelings of siblings.

Rakhi: a thread of love
In India, festivals are a celebration of being one with the family. Raksha Bandhan is a festival that is all about affection, fraternity, and nostalgic feelings. It is also known as Raksha Bandhan, which means ‘protective bond’. It gives opportunity for the sacred feelings of love, care, affection, and brotherhood.
Not a single celebration in India is complete without typical Indian festivities: gatherings, markings, delirium of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing, and dancing. Raksha Bandhan is a regional festival to celebrate the sacred relationship between brothers and sisters.
Mainly, this festival is related to the northern and western regions of India, but soon the whole world started celebrating it with the same poetry and spirit. It has become a scary part of those rituals.
Rakhi festival
The celebration of Rakhi in India is all about strengthening the bond of love and promoting brotherhood between brothers and sisters. This festival has no rituals; rituals and traditions may change with time, but its style of celebration has become contemporary. Raksha Bandhan has been celebrated in this way for centuries. All the rituals are followed with equal enthusiasm. Glee has just been blown up in a big way. The festival of Rakhi is a celebration of the sacred bond of love between brothers and sisters.
Everyone starts preparing for this festival well in advance. About a month before the commencement of Raksha Bandhan, you get to see special and colorful Rakhi’s in every market. Women start shopping for Rakhi and Rakhi gifts well in advance. They shop for new clothes and beautiful Rakhi gifts, especially the ones they tie for their brothers who live far away. Almost every shop, be it a sweet shop, a clothes shop, a gift shop, or any other shop, is beaten with Rakhi gifts to attract people.
The celebration of Rakhi in India is known for its carnival spirit and the strengthening of the bond of love between brothers and sisters. In fact, India is globally known for its colorful festivals and evergreen traditions. Raksha Bandhan is all about emotions, love, and joy and is celebrated with various customs, family get-togethers, and sweets. Like other festivals, Rakhi also has its own importance.

On the day of the festival of Rakhi, the celebration of this auspicious day begins at dawn. After an early morning bath, people get ready by wearing new clothes and join for worship. After invoking universal blessings, the sister performs aarti for the brother, applies tika and rice to his forehead, and ties a Rakhi amid chanting. Sisters wholeheartedly offer sweets to their brothers to eat, which in turn adds more bitterness to the Raksha Bandhan festivities, and they pray for their well-being. In return, brothers pamper their sisters and give them beautiful gifts to woo them. They take care of her and promise to stay by her side no matter what.
After performing all these rituals, the whole family reunites to enjoy themselves and have fun. Then they all share delicious food, delicious sweets, gifts, music, and dance. It is a day to remember all the sacraments tied together for all those people who are away from their families for any reason. Any feeling can be expressed through e-mails, e-cards, Rakhi greeting cards, and Rakhi through the internet. On this day, the feelings of brothers and sisters cannot be stopped.
Rabindra Nath Tagore started joining people at events like the Rakhi Festival’ in Shantiniketan to propagate the feeling of brotherhood among the people. He believed that this would invoke the spirit of faith-action coexistence. For them, Raksha Bandhan is a way of sweetening the bonds of humanity. The tradition continues as people have started tying Rakhi’s to Neighbours and friends.

A scene from Rakhi rituals
On the day of Rakhi, the sisters prepare Diya, Roli, and rice for Rakhi and prepare a puja plate with sweets. The ritual begins with a prayer to the deity, then the sister ties a Rakhi to her brother and wishes him happiness and prosperity. In return, the brother reciprocates the love of his sister by being with her through good and bad times.
Amid chanting, sisters tie Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers, fill their foreheads with rolls and rice, and pray for their well-being. He gives them gifts and blessings. In return, the brothers also wish him a good life and
Commit to care. He gives her a return gift. The gift symbolizes their physical acknowledgment of love, their togetherness, and the remembrance of their vows. Descriptions and references to history were repeated, emphasizing the importance of the festival.
bond of unconditional love
Raksha Bandhan has been celebrated in the same way with the same rituals for many years. Only the means have changed with the lifestyle as much as possible to make the celebration more elaborate and lively. On this day, there is a wave that pulls brothers and sisters together. The increasing distance increases the desire to be together. On this auspicious day, all the brothers and sisters try to reach out to each other. The joyous union, the rare family reunion, and the former feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood call for a big celebration.
For all, it is an occasion to remember and an annual celebration. People also share delicious dishes, great sweets, and mention gifts. It is time to share his past riddles as well. For those who are not able to meet each other, Rakhi cards, e-Rakhi, and Rakhi letters serve to convey Rakhi through the mail. Handmade Rakhi and a self-made Rakhi card represent the personal sentiments of siblings.
History of Raksha Bandhan
according to Hindu mythology
In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna accidentally cut his finger on the Sudarshan Chakra. Seeing this, Princess Draupadi tied a cloth to remove the loss of blood. Lord Krishna was deeply moved by her gesture, and in return, he promised to take care of her from all the evils of the world. During Draupadi’s Chicharron, when the Kauravas tried to shame and humiliate her, Lord Krishna kept his promise by saving her from humiliation and abuse.
On this day, sisters apply tilak to their brother’s forehead, tie a Rakhi around his wrist, eat sweets, and exchange gifts. The ritual of Rakhi reaffirms the bond and support shared between siblings. At the same time, by tying Rakhi, brothers promise to protect their sisters, fulfil their wishes, bless them, and support them in every endeavor of life. Nowadays, brothers and sisters also buy Rakhi as a symbol of their special bond.
In the modern interpretation of this ritual of Raksha Bandhan, brothers and sisters have started tying Rakhi’s on each other’s hands and vowing to protect each other. Many times, people also tie Rakhi to their friends and relatives. Finally, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated with someone who cares for you and always has cared for you, regardless of gender and relation.
The origin of the festival of Raksha Bandhan is believed to have occurred centuries ago, and there are many stories related to the celebration of this special festival. Some of the various accounts related to Hindu mythology are described below:

Indra Dev and Sachi
According to the ancient story of the Bhavishya Purana, once there was a fierce battle between the gods and the demons. Lord Indra, the principal deity of sky, rain, and thunderbolts, who was fighting the battle on behalf of the gods, was putting up stiff resistance from the mighty demon king Bali. The war dragged on for a long time and did not come to a decisive end. Seeing this, Indra’s wife, Shachi, went to Lord Vishnu, who gave her a sacred bracelet made of cotton thread. Shachi tied the sacred thread around the wrist of her husband, Lord Indra, who eventually defeated the demons and reclaimed Amaravati. An earlier account of the festival described these sacred threads as amulets that were used by women for prayer and tied to their husbands when they were going off to war. In contrast, the present time

The story of Rani Karnawats and Emperor Humayun

The story of Rajputana Rani Kankavati and Mughal Emperor Humayun is the most popular evidence in the history. In the medieval era, Rajput’s were fighting & protecting their Kingdom from Muslim invasions. Since those times, Raksha Bandhan means the commitment and protection of one’s sister was the foremost. Rani Kanawati was the widowed queen of the king of Chittor. She realized that she could not be able to protect her Kingdom from the invasion of the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah. She sent a Rakhi thread to Mughal Emperor Humayun. The emperor was overwhelmed by the gesture and started off towards Chittor with his troops without wasting time.

The story of Alexander the Great and King Puru

One of the oldest references to the History of Rakhi festival goes back to 300 B.C. during the time when India was invaded by Alexander. It is believed that the great conqueror, King Alexander of Macedonia was wavered by experiencing the fury of the Indian King Puru in his first attempt of defense. On seeing Her’s husband plight, Alexander’s wife, who had been aware of Rakhi festival, approached King Puru. King Puru accepted her as his Rakhi sister, and he refrained from war against Alexander.

King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi
According to the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana, when Lord Vishnu conquered the three worlds from the demon king Bali, he asked the demon king to stay with him in the palace. The Lord accepted the request, and the demons started living with the king. However, Goddess Lakshmi, the wife of Lord Vishnu, wanted to return to her native place, Vaikuntha. So, she tied a Rakhi on the wrist of the demon king Bali and made him a brother. On asking about the return gift, Goddess Lakshmi asked Bali to release her husband from the fast and allow him to return to Vaikuntha. Bali agreed to the request, and Lord Vishnu returned to his abode with his consort, Goddess Lakshmi.
Santoshi Maa
It is said that Lord Ganesha’s two sons, Shubh and Labh, were disappointed that they had no sister. He asked his father for a sister, who finally obliged with the intervention of Sage Narada. This is how Lord Ganesha created Santoshi Maa through the divine flame, and on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, both the sons of Lord Ganesha got their sister.

Krishna and Draupadi
Based on an account from the Mahabharata, Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, ties a Rakhi to Lord Krishna, while Kunti ties a Rakhi to her grandson Abhimanyu before the epic battle.
Yama and Yamuna
Another legend says that Yama, the god of death, did not visit his sister Yamuna for a period of 12 years, and she eventually became very sad. On the advice of Ganga, Yama went to visit his sister Yamuna, who very happily hosted her brother. This pleased Yama, who asked Yamuna for a gift. He expressed his desire to see his brother again and again. Hearing this, Yama made his sister Yamuna immortal so that he could see her again and again. This mythological account is the basis of the festival called “Bhai Doo”, which is also based on the brother-sister relationship.
Raksha Bandhan is not celebrated here; it is considered inauspicious.
Today is Sawan Purnima, and people all over the country celebrate this day with enthusiasm in different forms. But this day is most commonly known as the festival of Rakhi. On this day, sisters tie Rakhi on the wrists of brothers, and brothers lovingly give gifts to their sisters. But there are many such villages where people hate even the name of Rakhi. People here consider Rakhi as a bond that robbed them of everything. Because of the bitter memories, people have stopped celebrating the festival of Rakhi here for many generations.
Remembering that on black days, people do not celebrate Rakhi here.
Paliwal people live in Pali village in Rajasthan. The people of this village have now settled in different parts of the country as well. But such a bitter memory of Rakhi is associated with the people of this village, so they do not celebrate the festival of Rakhi here. Rakhi is a black day for them. The reason for this is that his village was attacked by Mohammad Ghori on the day of Raksha Bandhan around 1230 AD. In this attack, a large number of people were killed in the village. After this incident, people stopped celebrating Rakhi, and for about 800 years, people here no longer celebrated Rakhi.

Significance of Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is one of the most celebrated days in India. All over the country, people, irrespective of their caste and religion, celebrate this auspicious day. The celebration of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan signifies protection.

Generally, we find people all over the country going to temples and priests and getting a secret rate tied. This is hugely celebrated in the Kala Bhairavi temple in Varanasi, where people tie a black thread on their wrists. We learn scenes are seen in the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir, where people are seen tying a red band around their forehead on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

According to traditions, it is said and believed that if someone maintains its sanctity, even Yagnopaveetam acts as a Raksha to the wearers. One misconception of Raksha Bandhan in India is that it can only be performed between brothers and sisters. However, this concept is not true, and even a husband or wife can tie Rakhi in each other’s hands, or a disciple can also tie Rakhi to his guru. Tying Rakhi or someone’s hand is set to increase the bond of protection, respect, and love between the two individuals irrespective of any blood relations they have with each other.

How to Celebrate Rakhi

From the above discussion, we had already seen that Rakhi doesn’t need to be tied only by sisters to their brothers. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, we were giving the Rakhi to someone who wishes good health and a happy life for him, and in return, the other person gifts or something with the promise of protecting them throughout their life.

The true significance of Rakhi, or the thread here which is being tied, is a strong representation of love and protection. On this day, they wear new attires, and after tying the Rakhi, they have good food cooked in their places.

Conclusion

In the above article, we have seen the true significance of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan, which is protection, love, and respect. We have briefly seen who started the Rakhi celebrations and the mythological story of why it is celebrated every year.

This article briefly mentions that Rakhi is not just supposed to be between siblings but also can be between husbands and wives. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated every year in India and will remain one of the most auspicious days that we see in a year.

ARTICLE BY : KALYAN SINGH

You can also check out these posts of ours 👇👇👇

Rinku Singh (cricketer)

Digital Inclusion Among Rural Minority Women

Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar

Sustainable Development Goals

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IN UTTARAKHAND

RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF UTTARAKHAND