Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is the festival of brothers and sisters. This festival falls on Shravan Poornima, the full moon day of the Hindu month Shravan (August – September). It is a festival that belongs primarily to the northern and western regions of India but is celebrated throughout the country. It is an occasion for family members, who may be physically far apart, to come together and confirm their bond of love with each other.
India is famous all over the world for deep family bonds and family support systems. Many festivals reinforce this attachment, and Rakhi is one such festival. The name Raksha Bandhan means “bond of protection,” and it celebrates the sacred relationship between brother and sister.
Origin
The Bhavishya Puran refers to a war between the celestial gods and the demons. The demon King Brutra was advancing and the gods led by Indra were on verge of defeat. Indra approached Brihaspati, the Guru of the celestial gods to find a solution to the situation. Brihaspati asked Indra to tie a sacred thread on his wrist while chanting sacred mantras on Shravan Purnima. Indra tied it on to his hand on the decided day. The power of the sacred thread called “Raksha” helped the celestial gods to victory. The tradition of tying the sacred thread has continued since then.
According to another story, the demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Shree Vishnu was enchanted by his devotion and had taken up the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi desired Her Lord to be back in His abode. She went to Bali disguised as the wife of a priest, to seek refuge until Her husband came back. During the Shravan Poornima celebrations, Lakshmi tied the sacred thread to the King. Upon being asked what she wanted, She revealed who She was and why She was there. Having tied the sacred thread on her, the king felt obliged to help her, and requested the Lord to accompany Her. He sacrificed all he had for the Lord and his devoted wife.
Thus, the festival is also called Baleva that is Bali Raja’s devotion to the Lord. Since then, it has been a tradition for brothers to invite sisters on Shravan Purnima for the thread tying ceremony, and offer them protection.
Another story relates to Yamraj and Yamuna. It is said that the Raksha Bandhan was a ritual followed by Lord Yamraj, the god of death and his sister Yamuna. Yamuna tied a rakhi to Yamraj. Yamraj was so moved by the serenity of the occasion that he declared that whoever gets a rakhi tied from his sister and promises her protection would become immortal.
Raksha Bandhan is also mentioned in Mahabharat. Lord Krishna advised Yudhishthir to perform the ceremony to protect himself and the army from the dangers of the war. It is said that Draupadi tied a rakhi to Lord Krishna. He felt bound by her sisterly love, and promised her protection.
Celebration
As per the traditions, the sisters on this day prepare the pooja thali with diya, roli, rice and rakhis. They worship the deities, tie rakhis to the brothers, apply kumkum on their foreheads, and pray for their wellbeing. The rakhi thread is a symbol of love and affection of sisters for their dearest brothers. The brothers in turn acknowledge the love of the sisters, with a promise to be by the sisters’ side through the thick and thin. Brothers give their sisters a gift as a token of their love.
Any festival in India is incomplete without the typical Indian festivities, the gatherings, celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, singing and dancing. This festival has been celebrated in the same way with the same traditions for centuries. Only the means have changed with the changing lifestyles. Rakhi festival is the celebration of togetherness, love and trust between the family members, especially the siblings. This is the day that still pulls the siblings together. The increasing physical distances evoke the desire to be together even more. They try to reach out to each other on the Raksha Bandhan day. The joyous meeting, the rare family get-together, that erstwhile feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood all create the atmosphere for a joyous celebration.
The festivity of Rakhi has been highlighting the sublime love and care between brothers and sisters. This festival of Rakhi is seen as a way of expressing your love for those who are always there in the dark days of your life.