Raksha bandhan, Rakhi festival in India

Raksha Bandhan, popularly known as Rakhi is one of the most important festivals of India. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm in all parts especially North India.
‘Rakhsha Bandhan’ signifies the pure and strong bond of love the brother and sister share. Thus the festival derives its name, Raksha which means ‘protection’ and Bandhan meaning ‘bond’ in Hindi. Rakhi is a sacred thread that is tied on the wrist of the brother by the sister. It indicates the brother’s promise to protect the sister all his life.

Raksha Bandhan History Mythology:
There are a number of stories and legends associated with the festival.
According to the Mahabharatha, Lord Krishna extended Draupadi’s sari infinitely to protect her from the ‘cheer haran’ by Duryodhana. It is believed he did this as a token of love for her as a sister since she once tied a strip of cloth from her sari to prevent bleeding from his wrist.

During the Medieval era there were constant wars between the Rajputs, Mughals and Sultans. Rani Karnavati the widowed queen of the king of Chittor sent a rakhi to Emperor Humayun when she realised that she couldn’t defend the invasion of Bahadur Shah. The Emperor was touched by her gesture; he immediately left to help her, abandoning an ongoing military campaign.

According to another myth the Demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had taken the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode. Goddess Lakshmi went to Bali disguised as a Brahmin woman to seek refuge till her husband came back. During the Shravan Purnima celebrations, Lakshmi tied the sacred thread to the King revealing her true identity and reason for stay. The King was moved and requested Lord Vishnu to accompany her back.

Raksha Bandhan Celebrations:
The day begins with a bath and getting dressed for the occasion, generally in traditional clothes. Celebrations start by brothers and sisters offering prayers to God. The sister applies tikka on the brother’s forehead, ties rakhi on his wrist and performs an aarti. The brother promises to protect her from all problems and evils; the sister prays for his long life. Both of them feed each other sweets. The brother presents a gift to his sister.

Raksha Bandhan Gifting options:
These days’ different varieties of rakhi are available in the market; right from designer ones like Zardosi, gold and silver to cartoon designs for toddlers. The tradition of brother gifting the sister on this auspicious day has been carried on since ages; it is basically a token of his love for her. There are numerous gifting options available, knowing your sister’s preferences eases the process of choosing the appropriate Rakhi gift for her. Clothes, accessories, chocolates, jewellery, perfumes or watches just about anything can be gifted.

A personalized card along with the gift would be a perfect package for the occasion.
Another option is to order an online Rakhi gift. Placing online orders has numerous advantages; it not only saves time and is more convenient, it also provides greater number of options. Customization and multiple payment options are other added benefits. ‘Guaranteed on-time delivery’ ensures that the gift reaches your sister anywhere in the world on the day of Rakhi.

Author: Ms Coutinho.

Save the Girl child | Indian culture | Know India |

Home

Copyright © 2009.Indianchild.com. All rights reserved. No Content from our pages can be used /copied /downloaded for any use/publication/website in whatsoever manner without our written permission. We take action on infringement.