What is Raksha Bandhan?
The festival of brothers and sisters, Raksha Bandhan is just around the corner. This year Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on 11 August 2022. On this day, sisters tie rakhis on their brothers’ wrists to declare their love and want to be their protectors. The love and emotion that surrounds this occasion make it a very special day in everyone’s life.
In this blog, We will talk about the history and significance of this festival and what it means to people who celebrate it.
Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the love between siblings. The festival takes place on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan in August. During the festival sisters tie a rakhi on the wrists of their brothers and the brothers give gifts to their sisters. At the same time brothers promise to protect them. Raksha Bandhan is a festival that is celebrated by both Hindus and Jains. This festival is celebrated every year in August.
Meaning of Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. The word “Raksha” means “protection” and “Bandhan” means “binding”. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated between brothers and sisters and epitomizes the excellent relationship between them. The festival basically between brothers and sisters does not really mean blood relation. Cousins, sisters, sisters-in-law, or siblings can tie rakhi. This festival is also known as Rakhi.
The Story of Raksha Bandhan
There are many stories in history that talks about this festival. The renowned stories of Krishna and Draupadi, Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun, Yama and Yamuna and so on.
Krishna and Draupadi:
The Story of Raksha Bandhan is related to the Hindu epic Mahabharata. In Mahabharata, Lord Krishna once cut his finger which then started bleeding. Seeing this Draupadi then tore a piece of cloth from her saree and tied it on his finger to stop the bleeding. The piece of cloth then became a sacred thread (Rakhi). Considering the cloth that she tied a sacred thread, Lord Krishna promised her that he will protect her from all evils throughout his life.
Yama Yamuna:
In this story, Yama tied a sacred thread on the wrist of her brother the Yamuna to protect him from the curse of death and mutilation from his stepmother, Chhaya. He told his mother that he knew of her secret to which she got furious and gave this curse to him, which was lifted because of the thread.
When is Raksha Bandhan Celebrated?
Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan (August) according to the Hindu calendar. This is why the festival is also called Rakhi Purnima. There are many other festivals that are celebrated on this day by the different communities in India such as people in the south celebrate Rakhi Purnima as Avani Avattam, and in some regions of North India, this day is celebrated as Kajari Purnima. Following are some of the rituals and festivals celebrated across India on this day.
How to celebrate Raksha Bandhan?
The Hindu families celebrate Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan by doing pooja and praying. Sisters tie colourful Rakhi (sacred thread) on brother’s right-hand wrist, apply tilak on forehead, perform pooja, and pray for the long life of her brother and exchange gifts and mouth-watering sweets. The brothers prefer traditional outfits such as Kurta-Jeans. Kurta-Payjama etc on the Rakhi day. It is not necessary to be a blood relation to tie a Rakhi, The holy thread (Rakhi) can be tied to non-blood relation. The Rakhi ceremony is usually carried out during the auspicious Muhurat of Aparhna or Pardosh on the day of Raksha Bandhan.
Significance of Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan is the day of love and protection. Raksha Bandhan is a very important festival in the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan and marks the beginning of the holy month of Shravan. On this day, sisters tie a sacred thread around the wrists of their brothers and pray for their well-being. This thread is called the Rakhi. Brothers, in turn, promise to protect their sisters from all harm and danger.
Raksha Bandhan is a very special day for the Hindus. It is a day when brothers and sisters express their love and concern for each other. It is also a day when the bonds of love and affection between brothers and sisters are strengthened.
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