Sukalpa Dhar: As the season of Raksha Bandhan is knocking at our doors, everyone is gearing up for this long-awaited festival which primarily revolves around brothers and sisters. Etymologically, Raksha Bandhan is a Sanskrit word where raksha means ‘protection’ and bandhan means ‘bond’.
The festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’ is celebrated on the day of jhulan purnima. On this day prayers to Lord Krishna and Radha are offered. Raksha bandhan is an affectionate bond of protection, trust and everlasting relationship between a brother and a sister. Sisters tie rakhi in their brother’s hand and pray for their long life, happiness, good health, wealth and an all-round success. In Jammu there is a common practice of flying kites on the occasion of rakhi purnima. It is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Sravana.
According to the Gregorian calendar, it generally falls in the month of August. It celebrates the love of a brother for his sister. On this auspicious day sisters tie rakhi on the wrist of their brother’s right hand with the belief that it will protect them from evil influences. They also pray for their long, healthy, happy and prosperous life. According to Hindu mythology, in the Mahabharata, Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, had torn a corner of her sari and wrapped Lord Krishna’s bleeding finger to stop it from bleeding. Thus a bond of brother and sister had developed between them and Lord Krishna promised to protect her. A rakhi strengthens the bond of love between brothers and sisters and revives emotional bonding. Brahmins change their sacred thread on this day and dedicate themselves once again to the study of the scriptures.
Raksha Bandhan is also called by different names in various regions of India. In West Bengal it is called Jhulan Purnima. This day marks the end of the five-day-long ritual of Lord Krishna and Radha jhula (swing). This is also the reason why it is called Jhulan Purnima. On this day the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha are made to sit on a jhula which is beautifully decorated with flowers and a grand celebration takes place surrounding the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha.
In Gujarat, it is known as Pavitropana when sisters tie a rakhi on their brother’s wrist. On this auspicious occasion, most people visit the temple to offer water to Lord Shiva and seek his blessings. It is believed that worshiping Lord Shiva on this day will help them get rid of their sins.
In Rajasthan, girls from the Marwari and Rajasthani community celebrate this Raksha Bandhan by tying rakhi in the hands of their brother’s wife as well. This is known as Lumba Rakhi. The people of this community believe that since the wife is the better half no ritual of Raksha Bandhan with the brother is complete without the presence of his wife.
In Uttarakhand, Raksha Bandhan is called Jandhyam Purnima. Here too people change their sacred thread which is usually worn by the Brahmins of the community. The priests celebrate Raksha Bandhan by performing rituals such as “Shravani Upakram” and the “Ganga Aarti” on the banks of the Ganga.
In Maharashtra, people celebrate Narali Purnima along with Raksha Bandhan. This day also falls on the full moon day of Shravan. On this day the devotees make an offering of coconut to the sea and pray to lord Varun. This ritual is particularly observed by the Koli community. It also marks the beginning of the fishing season for the fishing folks.
Rakhi Bandhan is celebrated all over the world. In Nepal too people celebrate Raksha Bandhan festival by tying Raksha Sutra and it comes to an end with a gala feasting.
Raksha Bandhan evokes a lifelong bonding between a brother and a sister. On this day both brothers and sisters get up early in the morning. The brother gets ready to get tied and the sister arranges everything to tie a beautiful rakhi in his brother’s wrist. This rakhi is very pure and this festival is considered as a symbol of purity, respect and bonding among brothers and sisters.
Raksha Bandhan has also evolved a new business of making and selling of designer Rakhis. Rakhis of various shapes, designs and colours are made and sold in the market. Brothers gifts chocolates, dress materials, cosmetics, etc to their sisters. Various companies like the Cadbury has come up with giving advertisements by saying that one can now place personalised orders for various chocolates for the rakhi gifts online from their website. They are saying personalisation adds a special touch to the presents that cannot be replaced by usual gifts.
Now, Amazon and Flipkart are selling innumerable beautiful rakhi sets. Among the sets some contains perfumes and rakhi, greeting card set and rakhi, one pen one rakhi and many more. The costs of the Rakhis are varying from Rs 39/- to Rs 7000/- approximately in these online shopping sites. Earlier sisters used to make handmade Rakhis with the help of colourful chiffon threads, wool, cord threads, beads, brush and needles etc. Now-a-days due to constraint of time buying a rakhi has become a much better option for everyone but undoubtedly handmade Rakhis were very beautiful with an emotional touch as well as economical too. Though the business of rakhi is a booming one it has some demerits too.
They are (i) it’s a once in a year business
(ii) after the rakhi day ends one has to wait for an entire year to get another raksha bandhan day
(iii) all the stocks of rakhi might not be sold so it has to be kept properly stocked for the coming year.
(iv) it is a seasonal product.
Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore used Raksha Bandhan as a means to prevent the partition of Bengal on the communal lines in 1905 by forging Hindu Muslim unity. This tradition is still followed at Santiniketan and the students of the university ties rakhi in the hands of common people and friends to spread the message of friendship, brotherhood, love and harmony.
During my school days my friends used to tie beautiful Rakhis every year in my hands. My right hand used to get filled up with bright colourful Rakhis. Once my mother had made a delicious chocolate cake and I took it and we shared it happily during our tiffin hours. I have still treasured those Rakhis very carefully as a fond memory.