Raksha Bandhan

The Fascinating Stories of Raksha Bandhan You Probably Didn't Know !

1. Raksha Bandhan The Fascinating Stories of Raksha Bandhan You Probably Didn't Know !

2. Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) The bonding between a brother and a sister is simply unique and is beyond description in words. The relationship between siblings is extraordinary and is given importance in every part of the world. However, when it comes to India, the relationship becomes all the more important as there is a festival called "Raksha Bandhan" dedicated for the sibling love.

3. Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi)

4. Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) This is a special Hindu festival which is celebrated in India and countries like Nepal to symbolize the love between a brother and a sister. The occasion of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar in the month of Shravana which typically falls in the August month of Gregorian calendar.

5. Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi)

6. Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi)

7. Meaning of Raksha Bandhan The festival is made up of two words, namely "Raksha" and "Bandhan." As per the Sanskrit terminology, the occasion means "the tie or knot of protection" where "Raksha" stands for the protection and "Bandhan" signifies the verb to tie.

8. "the tie or knot of protection"

9. Meaning of Raksha Bandhan Together, the festival symbolizes the eternal love of brother-sister relationship which does not mean just the blood relationships only. It is also celebrated among cousins, sister and sister-in-law (Bhabhi), fraternal aunt (Bua) and nephew (Bhatija) and other such relations.

10. Festival Symbolizes The Eternal Love Of Brother-sister Relationship

11. Raksha Bandhan Symbolise Originating from the Sanskrit term ‘रक्षाबन्धनम्,’ raksha means ‘protection’ and bandhan  refers to a ‘bond’ – the term simply translates to a ‘bond of protection’. Observed on the full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar month of Shravana, and the Gregorian calendar month of August, this auspicious day, over the years, has been associated with celebrating the connection between a protector and a protectee .

12. Raksha Bandhan Symbolise ‘bond of protection’

13. Importance of Raksha Bandhan among various religions in India Hinduism- The festival is mainly celebrated by the Hindus in the northern and western parts of India along with countries like Nepal, Pakistan and Mauritius. Jainism- The occasion is also revered by the Jain community where Jain priests give ceremonial threads to the devotees. Sikhism- This festival devoted to the brother-sister love is observed by the Sikhs as "Rakhardi" or Rakhari.

14. Raksha Bandhan in Hinduism

15. Raksha Bandhan in Jainism

16. Raksha Bandhan in Sikhism

17. Reason For The Celebration Of This Festival The festival of Raksha Bandhan is observed as a symbol of duty between brothers and sisters. The occasion is meant to celebrate any type of brother-sister relationship between men and women who may not be biologically related. On this day, a sister ties a rakhi around the wrist of her brother in order to pray for his prosperity, health and well-being. The brother in return offers a gifts and promises to protect his sister from any harm and under every circumstance. The festival is also celebrated between brother-sister belonging to distant family members, relatives or cousins.

18. The festival of Raksha Bandhan is observed as a symbol of duty between brothers and sisters

19. The Fascinating Stories Of Raksha Bandhan That You Probably Didn’t Know ! Who Tied the First Rakhi to whom? – A Mythological Theory. Draupadi and Krishna One of the most popular Indian mythology legends is of Lord Krishna and Draupadi. On Makar Sankranti, Krishna cut his little finger. Watching Krishna bleed profusely, Draupadi cut off a part of the loose end of her sari and tied it on his finger . In return, Krishna promised to protect her. Krishna’s help to Draupadi was immortalised in mythology.

20. Krishna cut his little finger, Watching Krishna bleed profusely, Draupadi cut off a part of the loose end of her sari and tied it on his finger .

21. Yama and the Yamuna When Yama, the God of Death did not visit his sister Yamuna, the river goddess sought help from river Ganga for 12 years. Upon a reminder about his sister by Ganga, Yama decided to visit Yamuna. Being overjoyed by her brother’s arrival, Yamuna prepared a bountiful feast for Yama and tied a rakhi to him. Delighted, he asked his sister what she wanted as a gift. All she wished for was her brother to visit her soon. Moved by his sister’s love, he blessed her with eternal life , and so Yamuna, the longest and the second largest tributary river of Ganga, flows tirelessly today.

22. Yama and the Yamuna

23. Lord Bali and Goddess Laxmi When demon king Bali, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, asked him for protection, Vishnu did it under the disguise of Bali’s doorman. Away in Vishnu’s abode Vaikuntha, his wife Laxmi missed him. So, she disguised herself as a woman seeking shelter and approached Bali, who opens his palace doors for her. She being the goddess of wealth, prospered Bali’s home. On the full moon day of Shravana, when Laxmi tied a thread of coloured cotton on Bali’s wrist for his protection, he asked her what she desired as a gift. Laxmi simply pointed to the gatekeeper who revealed his true identity. Bali kept his promise and asked Vishnu to return home with Laxmi, but Vishnu in turn promised to spend four months of each year with Bali.

24. Lord Bali and Goddess Laxmi

25. Roxana and King Porus When Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC, his wife, Roxana, sent Porus, the king of the Pauravas, a sacred thread and asked him not to harm her husband on the battlefield. In the Battle of the Hydaspes, when Porus saw the rakhi on his own wrist, he restrained himself from attacking Alexander. Even though Porus lost the battle, he won Alexander’s respect and honour, who not only reinstated him as a satrap (governor) of his own kingdom, but also granted him dominion over lands to the south-east extending until the Hyphasis (Beas).

26. Roxana and King Porus

27. Emperor Humayun and Queen Karnavati After the death of her husband Rana Sangha, queen Karnavati, became the official of Mewar and ruled it in the name of her elder son Vikramjeet. When Bahadur Shah of Gujarat attacked Mewar for the second time, the queen began looking for support from other kingdoms . Karnavati at the time wrote to Mughal Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi and sought protection. Despite Humayun’s father, Babur, defeating Rana Sanga in 1527, and the Mughal emperor himself being in the middle of another military campaign, he abandoned everything to pay his attention to Mewar to help Karnavati. The Mughal emperor was heartbroken when he couldn’t make it on time. The Rajput army was defeated in Chittor, and Rani Karnavati had immolated herself in the Rajput custom of Jauhar. But later, Humayun restored the kingdom to Karnavati’s son, Vikramjit.

28. Emperor Humayun and Queen Karnavati

29. Rabindranath Tagore and the Bengal partition of 1905 In 1905, when the Partition of Bengal divided the nation, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsavas to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and strengthen the bond of love and togetherness between Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. He also urged them to protest against the Britishers. The partition may have divided the state, but his tradition continues in parts of West Bengal, as people tie rakhi to their neighbours and close friends .

30. Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsavas

31. Rakhi Mahotsavas

32. Rakhi Mahotsavas

33. Rakhi Mahotsavas

34. Rakhi Mahotsavas

35. Present Day Raksha Bandhan celebrations may have begun in the Vedic era, but the tradition continues in present-day India with full swing and fervour. From a simple sacred thread called kalawa, to modern-day e-rakhis sent to brothers abroad, Raksha Bandhan has drastically evolved, but continues to strengthen bonds. As times are changing, sisters are not only seen tying rakhis to their siblings, but donning some themselves too. Man or woman, doesn’t matter, every protector deserves a rakhi, no? Who tied the first rakhi to whom may continue to be a mystery, but don’t let that stop you from tying one to whomever you want.

36. Present Day

37. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

38. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

39. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

40. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

41. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

42. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

43. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

44. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

45. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

46. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

47. To outside world we grow old, but not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we were as children. We always believe in innocent child living in our hearts. Have a lovely Rakhi Day!