Of the many festivals that are
observed in India, this is one that is a favourite among many, as it celebrates
the special bond that brothers share with their sisters. It is a festival that
is also celebrated in Nepal and by many Hindus who are in different parts of
the world. The day is marked on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar in the
month of Shravana or Sawan and it typically falls in August.
The Sanskrit term Raksha Bandhan
literally means “bond of protection”, and on this day women and girls of all
ages tie a talisman, known as a Rakhi, around the wrists of their brothers as a
symbol of protection. The men and boys will in turn gift their sisters money,
new clothes, sweets, etc.
Significance of Raksha Bandhan
The day is important as it
signifies the bond between a brother and a sister and the undying love that
they have for one another. The day stands for the love a brother has for his
sister, and the lengths to which he would go to protect her. The tying of the
Rakhi is considered sacred as it stands for the promise a brother makes to his
sister that he will protect her at all cost.
Celebration
On the day of Raksha Bandhan, married women travel back to their parents’ homes where they meet up with their brothers, who as per Indian customs, stay with their parents. While there, the women go through the ceremony of tying the Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers. In urban India, the festival has become more symbolic, but it is still carried out with a lot of fanfare. It is also performed by women and men who are not blood relatives and from different religions.