Raksha Bandhan

What is Raksha Bandhan?
Raksha means ‘protection’ and the meaning of Bandhan is “to tie’. Raksha Bandhan, also known as Rakhi Purnima, is a Hindu festival that focuses on the love and duty between brothers and sisters. Raksha Bandhan symbolizes the unmatched bond of love, care and respect.

When it comes?
This festival of Raksha Bandhan occurs on the full moon day of the Shravan month of Hindu calendar. Raksha Bandhan is a popular festival which is celebrated across the country.

How do we celebrates?
Mostly Raksha Bandhan celebrates between brothers and sisters. The concept of Raksha Bandhan is love and duty between brothers and sisters. To mark their relationship, the morning of Raksha Bandhan day, the sister and brother will gather together with their family.  On the occasion of this festival sisters generally apply tilak to the forehead of their brothers, tie the Rakhi (sacred thread) to the wrist of their brothers and do the arati and pray for their good health & long life. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her. This symbolizes their emotional bond and the renews the vow of the brother to protect his sister.

This ritual not only strengthens the bond of love, but also transcends the boundaries of the family. When a Rakhi is tied on the wrists of close friends and neighbors, it underscores the need for a harmonious social life. This helps to broaden ones’ vision beyond the boarders of ones own family to universal brotherhood and sisterhood.

How Rakhi looks like?

Rakhis are made from silk with gold and silver threads and can be decorated with sequins, and with glittery stones.

You can get Rakhi on online purchase also:
https://www.igp.com/rakhi
https://www.amazon.in/
https://www.fnp.com/rakhi

Some other historical references…
In Indian history, Rakhi have been used to strengthen kingdoms and forge alliances. One of the oldest tales associated with Rakhi is when Alexander the Great was undertaking his invasion of the India subcontinent in 326BC. Encountering the powerful King Purushottam the great Hindu King of Punjab. It is said that when Alexander was defeated at the hands of the King of Punjab, Alexander’s wife tied a Rakhi to Purushottam to protect her husband from being slain.

And…

During the days of Emperor Humayun, it is believed that Queen of Chittor Rani Karnavati had sent a Rakhi to emperor Humayun in order to get protection from Hahadur Shah who was invading her kingdom. Inspite of being of a different religion, he rushed to her help.