Raksha Bandhan

The festival of goodwill

Raksha Bandhan

In Sanskrit, Raksha means “protection” and Bandhan means “a bond”. Raksha Bandhan, commonly known as Rakhi, literally celebrates the bond of good wishes and protection between brothers and sisters. It is an ancient Hindu festival that celebrates sibling relationships, but has also come to denote any relationship or tie of goodwill and friendship.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in the Hindu month of Shravan, on a full moon day. It mostly falls in the month of August during the monsoon season.

Celebration

Being the most important festival for siblings, preparations for it are begun well in advance. Family members go shopping so they may wear new clothes on the day. After everyone gets dressed, the families get together so they may begin the ritual.

Sisters tie a Rakhi, an intricate thread which may be simple or be woven with amulets, and tie it around their brothers’ wrists. It is symbolic of the sisters’ well wishes, prayers for longevity, and protection for their brothers. Then they perform an Arti while praying and apply a red tilak (mark) on the brothers’ foreheads. The brothers pledge to protect their sisters and take care of them. Then the siblings feed each other delicious sweets such as barfis, rasgullas, gulab jamuns, etc. After that, the sisters are given gifts by their brothers which may be money or other things they like.

Once the ritual is performed, the families spend the day together having fun. Siblings who are geographically separated celebrate it simply. The sisters send the rakhis with a well-wishing card and the brothers wear them for a few days.

Variations of Raksha Bandhan in Different Places

The festival is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, some Sikhs and Muslims, and people of Indian origin. It is celebrated in different parts of India in various ways and under differing names.

In Maharashtra, the festival is known as Narali Poornima. The fishermen community of Maharashtra invoke the Gods by praying for prosperity and throwing coconuts into the sea. For Brahmins, it is Balev, signifying dedication. They change their holi janeu threads and pray for spiritual elevation. In South India, Rakhi is celebrated as Avani Avittam. Similar to Balev, Brahmins change their janeu, renew their religious vows, and read Vedas, the ancient religious texts of India. It is similarly celebrated in Nepal, sometimes known as Janeu Poornima. In the northern state of Jammu, people fly kites, much as the country does on Janmashtami. Days before, kites of assorted sizes, shapes, and colors start appearing in the sky, and their numbers grow as the festival draws near.

Legends and Myths of Raksha Bandhan

One of more popular myths which is credited with this festival is that of Lord Krishna and Draupadi. The legend says that after Krishna cut off the head of his long-tern enemy Shishupal, he cut his finger. Draupadi rushed to bandage the wound with a piece of cloth. Krishna tells her that he is indebted to her, and will repay her kind act when she needs him. Subsequently, in the Mahabharata, when Draupadi’s disrobement takes place, Krishna protects her so she never runs out of cloth, meaning the Kauravas are unable to strip her.

Another legend speaks of the God of Death, Yama and his sister Yamuna, a river Goddess. The Yamuna was unhappy because her brother had not visited her for 12 years. She sought the help of Ganga, who told Yama to visit his sister. In the anticipation of his arrival, Yamuna prepared an elaborate feast. Overjoyed by the meeting, Yama granted her a gift of her choice. She wished that he would visit her often. Touched, Yama granted her immortality so he may go to see her as many times as he wished.

Once Lord Vishnu had to live in King Bali’s kingdom because of a promise he’d made. Goddess Laxshmi wished for her husband’s return so she went to Bali’s kingdom and tied a Rakhi on his wrist. When King Bali asked her what she’d like as a gift, she asked that her husband be allowed to return home.

Yet another myth is that Lord Indra once had trouble defeating the demons. According to different stories, either Indra’s wife Sachi or his sister Indrani, tied the protective thread on his wrist which helped him attain victory.

Lord Ganesh’s sons, after seeing him celebrate Raksha Bandhan with their aunt, asked Ganesha for a sister. He refused, but Saint Narad told him that a daughter would bring joy and enrichment in their lives. Ganesha consented, and subsequently had a daughter named Santoshi (Goddess of Satisfaction). She and her brothers had a loving relationship.

Historical Sources

Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Laureate of India, wished to use Raksha Bandhan to promote and foster ties of goodwill and solidarity between Hindus and Muslims during the Partition. He believed it was a symbol of respect and love. He hoped that Hindus and Muslims would protest the British rule and their plans of partition, together. The now popular celebration of Friendship Day may be seen as a derivation of Raksha Bandhan based on Tagore’s vision.

According to a much-debated medieval account, the widowed Queen of Chittor, Karnavati was in a weak position to defend her region against the invasion of Bahadur Shah, Sultan of Gujarat. She sent the Mughal Emperor Humayun a Rakhi, seeking his help as a brother. Humayun promptly sent off his troops to aid Karnavati but was too late to save the kingdom.