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Raksha Bandhan / Rakhi 2007
Tuesday - August 28, 2007

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (राखी in Devana-gari-) is a Hindu festival and also Sikh festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. It is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Shraavana and in 2007 it falls on August 28.

The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her. The brother and sister traditionally feed each other sweets. It is still celebrated today, and the brother and sister have to treat each other well for the day.

It is not necessary that the rakhi can be given only to a brother by birth; any male can be “adopted” as a brother by tying a rakhi on the person, that is “blood brothers and sisters”, whether they are cousins or a good friend. Indian history is replete with women asking for protection, through rakhi, from men who were neither their brothers, nor Hindus themselves. Rani Karnavati of Chittor sent a rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun when she was threatened by Bahadur Shah of Mewar. Humayun abandoned an ongoing military campaign to ride to her rescue.

The rakhi may also be tied on other special occasions to show solidarity and kinship (not necessarily only among brothers and sisters), as was done during the Indian independence movement.

Raksha Bandhan /Rakhi: The Thread of Love

Any Indian festival is incomplete without the typical Indian festivities, the gatherings, celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing and dancing. Festivals are the celebration of togetherness the celebrations of being on of the family. Festival of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is one such major occasion.

It is the celebration of brothers and sisters. It is one festival that primarily belongs to the North and Western regions of India but celebrated throughout the country with the same verve. Regional celebrations may be different but Raksha bandhan has become an integral part of those customs

As per the traditions, the sister on this day prepares the pooja thali with diya, roli, chawal and rakhis. She worships the deities, ties Rakhi to the brother(s) and wishes for their well being. The brother in turn acknowledges the love with a promise to be by the sisters’ side through the thick and thin and gives her a token gift.

The festival has been celebrated in the same way with the same traditions for centuries. Only the means have changed with the changing lifestyles. This too to make the celebrations more elaborate.

This is the day that still pulls the siblings together. The increasing physical distances evoke the desire to be together even more. They try to reach out to each other on the Raksha Bandhan day. The joyous meeting, the rare family get-together, that erstwhile feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood calls for a massive celebration.

The sisters tie that thread of love to their brothers amongst chanting of mantras, put roli and rice on his forehead and pray for his well being. She bestows him with gifts and blessings. The brother also wishes her a good life and pledges to take care of her. He gives her a return gift. The gift is the physical acceptance of her love, reminder of their togetherness and a symbol of his pledge. The legends and the reference in history repeated, the significance of the festival is emphasized.

Well that is kind of an end to the rituals but the celebrations actually start after that. For the parents, it is a family reunion. Tasty dishes, wonderful sweets, exchange of gifts and sharing of past experiences.

For those who are not able to visit each other, rakhi cards and e rakhis and rakhis through mails perform the part of communicating the rakhi messages. Hand made rakhis and self-made rakhi cards are just a representation of the personal feelings of the siblings.

Crux is that raksha bandhan brings people together in true spirit of all Indian festivals.

Rakhi - Raksha Bandhan
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Rakhi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Rakhi - The Thread of Love
Raksha Bandhan or ‘Rakhi’ is a special occasion to celebrate the chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister, by tying a sacred thread around the …
hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa080800a.htm

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Manas: Culture, Festivals of India
The annual “festival” of Raksha Bandhan, which is meant to commemorate the … On raksha bandhan day, a number of women may tie the rakhi around the Prime …
www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Festivals/Raksha.html

Raksha Bandhan Cards - Free Raksha Bandhan Cards
Send Free Raksha Bandhan Cards to your brother and celebrate the festival of Rakhi From RakshaBandhan.Net.
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Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India: Raksha Bandhan
Meaning, history, traditions and customs, and regional significance of Rakhi, the thread of love which celebrates brother-sister affection.
www.raksha-bandhan.com

Raksha Bandhan - Funmunch
Offers Rakhi recipes, traditions, gift ideas, quotes, and poems.
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Rakhi - Wikipedia
Article about Rakhi, the Hindu festival celebrated on the full moon of the month of Shraavana (July 23 - August 22 in the western calendar). Also known as Raksha …
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Rakhi - About.com
About Raksha Bandhan, the tradition where a sister ties a holy thread around the wrist of her brother to celebrate sibling love.
hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa080800a.htm

Manas: Raksha Bandhan
Offers an look from a woman’s point of view, and some Rakhi advertisements from the Times of India.
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