Rakhsha Bandhan is a unique an love filled festival which celebrates the special bond between a brother and a sister. A truly traditional Indian celebration of human relationships. Also called Rakhi, it is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravana in India. On this special day, sisters tie a beautiful thread called a ‘rakhi’ on their brothers wrists and the brothers promise to care for and protect their sisters for life.
There are of course more worldly traditions associated with the celebrations which include the usual sweets and lavish food preparations. Also popular is the tradition of brothers giving gifts to their sisters, although nowadays, sisters match their brothers in the gifting area.
The essence of Rakhi though is the basic feeling of love and protection which has been seen through history. It is believed that when Alexander invaded India, his wife tied a Rakhi to Porus. Another story is that of Queen Karnavati of Chittor, who sent a Rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun, to save her kingdom from the invasion of Bahadur Shah.
And in more recent history, to oppose the partition of Bengal, Rabindra Nath Tagore organized Raksha Bandhanto promote solidarity and peace between Hindus and Muslims.
Rakhi holds a special place in every brother and sister’s heart. Through gifts and rakhis, they try and seal that eternal bond of love and protection forever. A truly touching festival of India.
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