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Raksha
Bandhan
“Raksha
Bandhan is an unspoken pledge exchanged between a brother
and sister cementing their fraternal relationship. This also
reinforces their protective bond against all ills and odds.
Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the day of Shravan Poornima
that falls in the month of August every year. On this very
day, the sisters tie a delicate, sometimes decorated, thread
on the wrist of their brothers as a symbol of love and
affection. This makes the brothers bound to protect their
sisters from any trouble or wound. The chanting of a holy
mantra by the sisters while tying the thread says,
Yena baddho Balee
raajaa daanavendro mahaabalah |
Tena twaam anubadhnaami rakshe maa chala maa chala ||
It
means, “I am tying a Raksha to you, similar to the one tied
to Bali, the powerful king of the demons. Oh Raksha, be
firm, do not waver.” The mantra recalls how the demon king
Bali had become powerful with the
Rakhi
on. The power of the mantra is supposed to protect the
wearer from evil influences. This shows how dependent and
secure a sister feels when she has a brother. Tying this
Rakhi
or Raksha signifies the re-strengthening of the bond between
the siblings of opposite sexes.
How this simple, annually recurring act of tying the
Rakhi
on one’s wrist can evoke such strong and intense emotions in
a person is indeed surprising. It seems almost like an
unspoken pledge, exchanged between a brother and a sister
cementing their fraternal relationship and reinforcing their
protective bond against all ills and odds.
Raksha Bandhan day starts with a festive mood in every
Indian home.
Rakhis
are made or bought a day before the festival. Traditional
goodies and dishes are prepared early in the morning. After
an early bath, the offering Puja (worshipping of god) takes
place. The sister then offers “aarti” (a traditional way of
worshipping) to her brother and ties the thread on his right
wrist. Traditional “tilak”or vermilion powder on the
forehead of the brother is put and the brother blesses the
sister. The tradition of giving gifts and presents is also
an important part of this festival. The brother gifts his
sister a gift after she ties the
Rakhi
on his wrist. This gift acts as a token of love and
affection of the brother towards the sister. Sometimes
sisters also demand for a gift of their own choice to keep
it as a loving memory of that very day. However, the
blessing bestowed by the brother itself is regarded as the
biggest gift for the sister. Treating her brother along with
her entire family, the goodies and eatables that have been
prepared follows next. The normal rituals are followed with
great devotion and dedication.
India shows its unity among diversity in its various ways of
celebrating Raksha Bandhan too.
Rakhi
is mostly celebrated in the northern part of India. The
celebration of Raksha Bandhan is more or less the same in
this region. But the other parts of India celebrate this
festival in various other ways. The rituals and customs
followed differ with region to region.
The
festival of Raksha Bandhan is also known as Narial Poornima
or Coconut Full Moon in Mumbai’s famous beaches. Coconuts
are thrown into the sea to propitiate the Sea God, Varuna,
who is the chief object of worship on this occasion. The
‘three eyes’ of the coconut are believed to represent the
three-eyed Shiva and hence the religious significance. In
fact, Hindus consider it auspicious to break a coconut in
front of a deity before embarking upon any important
venture.
A similar practice is followed in some other places in order
to offer Puja to the God of rain and water, Lord Varuna.
Raksha Bandhan is called Avani Avittam in South India. This
is the time of “upakarmam,” and is celebrated in various
ways. It falls on the full-moon day of the month of Shravan
(August–September). It is an important Hindu festival. On
this day, Hindu Brahmans wear a new holy thread and offer
libations of water to the ancient Rishis.
The day is also set apart for Brahmins to change their
sacred thread they wear.
Thus, though the rituals and customs followed are different
from region to region, the festivities of the Indian
festivals have always been present in all the festivals. The
characteristics like jauntiness, zeal, customs and rituals,
traditional cuisines are also very much present in all the
festivals here.
The
festival of Raksha Bandhan is very significant in a Hindu
society. Hindu society values relationships to a great
extent. Raksha Bandhan not only helps in strengthening the
relationship between brothers and sisters, it also
strengthens the relationship of the society in general. This
simple ceremony affirms the people’s loyalty and faith not
only amongst themselves, but also for the society.
Celebration of festivals creates a feeling of unity and
belongingness in the minds of the people involved to it.
The
passing of time and the concept of globalization have
influenced the festivals and the ways of celebrating it.
Today tying of
Rakhi
is not confined to the siblings alone. The concept has been
widened and
Rakhi
is tied to anybody whom a girl wants to be a sister of.
Nowadays, Raksha Bandhan day is also a day for some of the
girls to visit the orphanages or prisons to tie
Rakhi
to the inmates of the orphanage and jails. This is a total
humanitarian approach. This kind act gives the fated
Rakhi
brothers a feeling of hope that there are people who love
and care for them too.
To conclude, Raksha Bandhan stirs up one of the
deepest and noblest emotions in the human breast—the abiding
and chaste bond of love between the brother and the sister.
The delicate cord tied by the sister to the brother on this
day pulsates with this sublime sentiment. The sister–brother
relationship highlighted by the
Rakhi
goes far beyond the mere personal protection of a female
from a male. It also implies the basic element of an
amicable and harmonious social life where all members of the
society look upon themselves as brothers and sisters and as
children of one common motherland.”
http://www.virtualrakhi.com/traditions.html
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