Raksha Bandhan 2019 will be celebrated all over the country this year along with the Independence Day. The festival signifies the bond between a brother and a sister. The festival has found its root in the Hindu culture but it is not limited to any caste or religion. On this day, a sister ties a thread on the wrist of her brother, as a sign of love and respect. The brother, in lieu, gives a promise of eternal care and protection. Raksha Bandhan festival falls on the full moon day in the Shravan month. People all around the globe celebrate the festival of thread with a lot of happiness, gifts and pampering from their brothers.
Significance:
Raksha Bandhan is celebrated beyond its traditional practice. Not just sisters, brother also tie a Rakhi on their sister’s wrist asking them for a promise of protection. Women tie the holy thread on the wrists of soldiers who spend days and nights protecting the borders of our country. At some places, people tie Rakhi on the branches of trees, for their selfless act of providing us with shelter, food, and fresh air, and therefore, protecting our lives.
History:
As per the history goes, it is said that Lord Krishna, once while flying a kite, cut his finger. Princess Draupadi, on seeing the blood dripping from his finger, ran towards him, tore a piece of cloth from what she was wearing, and tied it to his finger. Touched by the gesture, Krishna promised Draupadi that he will always protect her and come to help her whenever she will ask him.
Another Hindu mythology talks about the king of demons, Bali, worshipped Lord Vishnu and asked him to stay with him in his kingdom in return. That made goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu’s wife, quite uncomfortable, and she thought of a trick to get her husband back to live with her. She tied a holy thread on the wrist of King Bali, thereby making him her brother. When the king asked the goddess to make a wish, she asked her husband, Lord Vishnu, to be sent back with her freely. The king granted her wish out of respect for the holy thread that built a new relationship of brother-sister between him and the goddess Lakshmi.
One of the stories suggests Raksha Bandhan was started by the Rajput and Maratha Queens, who used to send rakhis to their Mughal kings and they promise not to attack their kingdom and protect them from all evil things.
Importance:
On the day of Rakhi, families get together, married women visit their parent’s house to tie a thread to their brothers. It is a day to arrange a lavish feast for brothers and sisters with finger-licking dishes. Sweets like barfi, kheer, halwa, laddoos are prepared at home. Raksha Bandhan is a Sanskrit word, where ‘Raksha’ means ‘Protection’ and ‘Bandhan’ means ‘to tie’, it basically means ‘to tie the knot of protection’. It is advisable to tie the sacred thread on the auspicious time.
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