It is time when all the brothers and sisters are extremely busy. Brothers trying to find the perfect gift for their sweet sister and sisters finding or making an ideal Rakhi and waiting for gifts. We have all celebrated this festival for years and years. As a child we waited for him for gifts and delicacies.
Growing up now, it’s about going home and spending time with family. Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Rakhi? What is all this? When do we celebrate? What are the legends associated with him? This girl who ties Rakhi to her brother also wondered about all this. She listen to her convo and find out everything she wants to know about Rakhi.
“Bhai, why do I have to tie a string to your wrist?”
“You have to as we are celebrating Raksha Bandhan. On this day, you prepare a Rakhi thali or the Pooja Ki Thali with Tilak, Diya, Sweets and Rakhi. Then you apply tilak on my forehead and tie this Rakhi on my wrist. After that, you feed me sweets and I give you gifts.
“Rakhi? But what is the meaning of Rakhi?”
“Importance? Well, the main concept of rakhi is protection. The word Raksha means protection, and Bandhan is a verb for tying. Just like the thread the priest tied on our wrist yesterday which was also for protection. No need that you tie Rakhi only to your blood-related Bhai. You can find any child and adopt him as your brother by tying a Rakhi. This ritual transcends family boundaries and strengthens the bond of love.”
“Okay. So when is Rakhi celebrated?”
“We celebrate Rakhi on the full moon in the month of Shraavana in the Hindi lunar calendar.”
“Does this also have any mythological references??”
“Yes. It also has a mythological reference. According to Bhavishya Purana, once Indra, the type of Devas was facing defeat at the hands of Vritra Ashura. So Deva Guru Brihaspati advised him to wear a Rakhi as protection against enemies ( demons) Accordingly, a “Madadiyu” a sacred thread was tied on Indra’s wrist.When Indra entered the battlefield with the “Madadiyu” tied on his wrist, the devil began to evolve to lose and lost the battle.
According to another mythological allusion, Rakhi was meant to be the worship of the sea god Varuna. The offering of coconuts, the ceremonial bath and the fairs on the waterfronts accompany this festival. Usually fishermen offer coconut and Rakhi to the sea god Varuna; this festival is known as Nariyal Poornima.”
“Who tied the first Rakhi?”
“There are many stories about who tied the first Rakhi. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when this joyful occasion originated.
This one comes from the battle between Alexander, the Greek king, and Porus, the Hindu king. Alexander’s wife sent a sacred thread to Poro asking him not to kill her husband in battle. In the battle, when Porus was about to deliver the final blow, he saw the rakhi in his hand and restrained himself from attacking Alexander personally.
Then there is one of King Humayun and Queen Amravati. Queen Amravati, the queen of Chittoor, is said to have sent a rakhi to Humayun to protect her from Bahadur Shah. Humayun was engaged in the expedition against Bengal, but he returned as soon as he could, but it was too late. Chittoor had already fallen, the Rani had immolated herself according to Rajput custom at Jauhar.“
“Does Rakhi have many names?”
“Yes. Rakhi is known by different names. Rakhi is known by many regional names as there are different regions and different languages. In both North and West India, it is celebrated as “Rakhi Poornima”. In the South of India, it is often called ‘Avani Avittam’ or ‘Upakarmam’.In the Western Ghats, the festival is known as ‘Nariyal Poornima’.All over India celebrates the jubilant festival of Rakhi which is celebrated as ‘Kajari Poornima’.
“Rakhi is only tied to boys, girls don’t have Rakhi tied to their wrists?”
‘Lumba Rakhi’ where one ties Rakhi on the wrist of his sister-in-law. This practice is mainly done in Rajasthan and in Gujarat. In some families that only have daughters, sisters often tie Rakhi on each other’s wrist as well. Who says Only brothers can protect you?”
“So, Rakhi is only celebrated in our country?”
“No. Although it is widely celebrated in India, countries like Nepal, Mauritius, as well as the Hindu and Sikh community in Pakistan also celebrate it.”
“Is Rakhi celebrated by Hindus only?”
“No. Rakhi is a secular festival. It is also celebrated by many other people of the culture. Jain culture also has a tradition of tying Rakhi. Jain priests give sacred threads to devotees. In Sikh, ‘Rakhadhi’ is important. In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is known as ‘Janai Purnima’ or ‘Rishitarpani’, the ceremony of tying a rakhi is celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists.”
“What’s so special about Rakhi? We have so many different festivals? So why is Rakhi so special?”
“Rakhi is special because there are no borders when it comes to region or religion. It brings together men and women who may not have blood ties to make them feel like family. It promotes peace, harmony, love and harmony. care between people, regardless of what it is”. region or religion to which it belongs”.
“How did you decide what kind of gift you want to give your sister?”
“Well, that’s a tough question. We need to think hard about getting them gifts. For example, if a person is going to give a gift to their sister who is in college, then they can give her a nice dress or a T-shirt.” -shirt or traditional dress like Anarkali or a makeup kit. If her sister is little, she can give her chocolates, dresses or toys “
“Has Rakhi changed in recent years?”
“Yes. There are many changing trends in Rakhi. The way of celebrating Rakhi has changed with the change of time. But the main traditional festivities remain the same as years ago.
There are numerous designs, shapes and materials in which Rakhi is available. Rakhi types include: cartoon, sandalwood, musical, floral, zari rakhi etc, however it is still a single strand Rakhi with stones/beads etc. It is the favorite of many brothers.
As Rakhi has such a huge variety, so do the Rakhi thalis. People embellish these Rakhi thalis with roli-chawal, Rakhi threads and flowers.”
“We get a message from every festival we celebrate, so what is the message we get from Rakhi?”
“Rakhi conveys an intrinsic message of universal brotherhood and brotherhood. It conveys a message that has socio-spiritual significance that underlines the need to nurture positive qualities, purity in thought, word and deed. Raksha Bandhan symbolizes the unmatched bond of love, respect, and beware.”
The most anticipated festival for the sisters is Rakhi. The joy of the festivals lies in the food, new clothes and getting ready. You can wear any type of clothing you want in Rakhi, there is no “compulsion” in wearing traditional clothing for Rakhi.”
relaxed look
Are you one of those sisters who dresses in a relaxed and relaxed way? If yes, then this look is for you. Wear any casual outfit, pair it with a multi-chain neck piece and voila! You are good to go for the Rakhi.
modern look
If you are the type of sister who likes the attention and makes heads turn a second time and admiration. This is the look for you. Wear a modern look and be the talk of your cousins.
traditional look
If you are one of the people who think that the traditional is the best. This is the look for you. With Anarkalis, Sarees and Lehenga in so many different colours, patterns and textures, it gives you a huge variety to choose from along with your accessories.
bohemian look
If you are someone who is always willing to try new things and new colors, prints, tassels, this is you! This look is for someone who is always willing to experiment with their outfits, who wants to try something fun, not for those who want something safe. Embrace your inner personality with these styles.
Know the party you celebrate. Have fun buying gifts and making or buying Rakhis.
HAPPY RAKHI!