Rakshabandhan- 29th Aug 2015

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan, which in Sanskrit literally means “the tie or knot of protection,” is a Hindu festival that celebrates the love and duty between brothers and sisters. Observed predominantly by Hindus, Jains, and many Sikhs, this widespread tradition originally began in northern and western India, but soon encompassed the globe with the same customs and spirit.

The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month (typically August) of the Hindu lunisolar calendar.

In preparing for the festival, women shop for Rakhi, the ceremonial thread to tie around their brother’s wrist. Some women even make their own rakhi. A rakhi may be a simple, woven thread or be complex with amulets and decorations on top of it. 

According to the Indian tradition, family members get ready for the rituals early in the morning on Raksha Bandhan day. They take a bath to purify the mind and body before starting any preparations. During the ceremony, the sister offers the thali of agarbatti, tilak, mittai, and the rakhi itself to her brother. After applying tilak to his forehead and doing aarti, she ties the rakhi around his wrist, signifying the bond between them while he promises, as her brother, to protect her in all circumstances. They then rejoice by feeding each other sweets and often gifting presents. 

The festival is also an occasion to celebrate brother-sister like family ties between cousins or distant family members and sometimes even biologically unrelated men and women who feel the same bond. 

The meaning and significance of Rakhi dates far back and many mythological stories are used to explain its origin:

For instance, one such legend refers to a war between the Gods and the Demons. The demon king Butra was advancing and the Gods, lead by Lord Indra, were on the verge of defeat. The king of Gods, Indra approached Guru Brihaspati to find a solution to the situation. Brihaspati then asked Indra to tie a sacred thread to his wrist, powered by the sacred mantras from the Shravan Purnima. Lord Indra’s queen, known as Indrani, empowered the thread and tied it on to his hand on the decided day. The power of the sacred thread called Raksha helped the Gods to victory.

According to the legend of King Bali and Goddess Laxmi, as told in the Bhaagvat Puraana, after Vishnu won the three worlds from the demon king Bali, Bali asked Vishnu to live in his palace, a request which Vishnu granted. Vishnu’s wife, Goddess Laxmi did not like the palace or his newfound friendship with Bali, and preferred that her husband and she return to Vaikuntha. So she went to Bali, tied a Rakhi and made him a brother. Bali asked her what gift she desired. Lakshmi asked that Vishnu be freed from the request that he live in Bali’s palace. Bali consented, and accepted her as his sister as well.

In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna considered Draupadi his sister. When Krishna cut his finger while beheading Shishupal, Draupadi immediately tore off a piece of her sari and bandaged his cut. Krishna said that with this loving act, she wrapped him in debt and he would repay each “thread” when the time comes. Indeed, when Draupadi needed Krishna’s protection she fervently prayed for his help, he came to her rescue and gave her unlimited cloth and thus she remained with her modesty intact, draped in   an “endless sari”. 

Even in the Western hemisphere, evidence of the rakhi exists where it momentarily spared the life of Alexander the Great. As per one legendary narrative, when Alexander invaded India in 326 BCE, his wife Roshanak, sent a sacred thread to the King Porus, asking him not to harm her husband in battle. In accordance with tradition, Porus, a Katoch king, gave full respect to the rakhi. On the battlefield, when Porus was about to deliver a final blow to Alexander, he saw the rakhi on his own wrist and restrained himself from attacking Alexander personally. 

In 1905, the British Empire divided Bengal, a province of British India, on the basis of religion. Rabindra Nath Tagore arranged a ceremony to celebrate Raksha Bandhan to strengthen the bond of love and togetherness between Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. He urged them to unite and together protest against the British Empire. He used the idea of Raksha Bandhan to spread the feeling of brotherhood.

While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in various parts of South Asia, different regions mark the day in unique ways:

The people of the Kumaon region of Uttarkhand, celebrate Raksha Bandhan with Janopunyu. Along with the sister-brother ritual, the men change their Janeu (sacred thread).

In the state of West Bengal and Odisha, this day is also called Jhulan Purnima. Prayers and puja of Lord Krishna and Radha are performed. Sisters tie rakhi to Brothers and wish them a long life. 

In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on Shravan Purnima. It is also called Janeu Purnima. 

In Maharashtra, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated as Nariyal Poornima. Kolis are the fishermen community of the coastal state. These Kolis offer prayers to Lord Varuna and invoke his blessings. As part of the Rakhi rituals, coconuts are thrown into the sea as offerings to Lord Varuna, and they apply vermilion as a symbol of prosperity.

 Written by Basant Devjani 
Assistant Director HYSC 2015