11 Epic Rakshabandhan Significance Facts On Hindu Festival Of Rakhi!
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In Indian culture, Rakhi is usually observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar, which typically falls in the month of Shraavana (August).
Raksha Bandhan in Sanskrit means 'bond of care, protection, obligation.' It started its origin about 6000 years ago when Aryans established the first civilization with diversified cultures and languages.
Stories of Gods celebrating this festival have been noted and observed since the Mahabharata war between Lord Krishna and demons king Shishupala. During this war, Krishna was hurt and left with a bleeding finger.
On seeing this, Draupadi tore a strip of her saree and tied it around his injured finger to stop the bleeding. Draupadi tied a rakhi (the saree strip) with a lot of affection and care. In turn, Lord Krishna pledged to repay the debt in the future.
When Pandavas lost their dice game with Kauravas, Kauravas tried to insult Pandavas by disrobing their wife, Draupadi. That time Lord Krishna appeared and protected her with his divine powers.
He continued his protection even after this incident. Hence the ritual started, and Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day, and on this day, a sister ties rakhi thread on her brother's wrist.
Usually, Hindu men celebrate this festival by getting sacred thread tied to their wrists by their sisters, and Buddhist men from Nepal also get sacred bracelets (Rakhi) tied to their wrists.
The sister prays for her brother's long life by applying tilak to his forehead and exchanging gifts as a token of appreciation, love, and brotherhood is also a part of the festival.
The brother also takes a vow to protect his sister.
Read on and enjoy our other articles on phoenix bird meaning and lily of the valley symbolism. Before that, let's understand the tradition and significance of Raksha Bandhan.
What is the real meaning of Rakhi?
Rakhi is a sacred thread for Indian people that is very colorful and can be very creatively designed. This sacred thread is usually made from colorful cotton or silk threads.
Nowadays, it also comes as gold and silver bracelets, but it always symbolizes protection from evil. Rakhi is often referred to as a token of respect and affection given by a woman or girl to her brother or a man she thinks of as a brother.
This festival became more playful when the exchange of gifts came into the picture.
During this time, the family is also included, and family members feast together. Bonds of relationship become stronger, the brother vows to protect his sister during difficult situations or circumstances she faces in her life.
Raksha Bandhan is not just limited to brother and sister, and a rakhi is tied to all the special people who have saved or protected women. Raksha Bandhan creates the feeling of safety and a bond of protection. This festival is also called Jamai Purnima or Brother and Sister's Day.
Different religions celebrate Raksha Bandhan in different ways. Most parts of northern and western parts of India and counties such as Nepal, Pakistan, and Mauritius celebrate this occasion.
It has been noted in the Jain community where Jain priests give ceremonial threads to devotees. It is known as Rakhardi or Rakhari in Sikhism and marks the day that signifies the bond of love between a brother and a sister.
When should Rakhi be removed?
Rakhi is an important occasion and is celebrated in many parts of India. The decorated thread marks the promise of love and protection between brother and sister and hope for a longing, lasting relationship.
It is believed that the sisters' love provides great health, success, and the tilak that she applies on his forehead signifies long life. There are many ancient stories when it comes to the evolution of Raksha Bandhan. King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi celebrated this festival.
Once to protect the gods, Lord Vishnu fought King Bali and won the war. However, as per King Bali's request, Lord Vishnu had to stay with him, but the goddess Lakshmi wanted her husband back.
To get Vishnu back to Vaikuntha, she tied Rakhi to Bali and asked for gifts. She asked for Lord Vishnu as a gift, and Bali agreed to send her husband back to Vaikuntha. All women in a family show love to their brothers or loved ones by celebrating this festival.
The exact time to remove such a sacred and important thread tied with a lot of emotions and trust is unknown. In Hindu culture, there is no specific time until when one must wear Rakhi.
Eight days after Raksha Bandhan, Lord Sri Krishna's Janmashtami is celebrated and is usually considered the best time to remove the Rakhi.
However, it is typically the brother's choice, and he can decide how long he wants to wear it.
Traditionally as per ancient Maharashtrian tradition, he can remove or untie the Rakhi on the 15th day of Raksha Bandhan because, on the 15th day, a festival called Pola is celebrated. A few brothers wear it until the Rakhi is worn off or the next Raksha Bandhan when the sister replaces it with a new one.
What to say to your brother on Raksha Bandhan?
A sister is the only person we can share our things and be ourselves with. She will hear us out patiently and let our emotions flow in harmony.
On this festive day as a sister, emotions overflow, and sisters prepare all lovely dishes to please and satisfy their brother. Every brother likes to hear, and every sister would love to say is 'no matter how far we go and stay apart, but our hearts will stay connected, and we will celebrate this relationship lifelong.'
Sisters express their gratitude towards their brothers.
They pray to God for their brothers' healthy and prosperous life and wish to fulfill their brothers' dreams. During the occasion of Rakhi, the brother promises protection.
The Bible doesn't talk particularly about Raksha Bandhan, but it is typically against amulets and talismans as they are believed to contain supernatural powers. However, the Bible does support pure love in the relationship of a brother and a sister. It believes in all the values for which Raksha Bandhan stands for.
What does Rakhi sister mean?
Rakha Bandhan is about cherishing the protective bond between brothers and sisters. However, this is very special for sisters because they shower their love on their brothers and cherish their brotherly love.
Sisters are very fond of selecting or designing Rakhi for their loved persons (the close company they feel protected with). Lord Krishna used to have four sisters, namely Ekanga, Subhadra, Draupadi, Mahamaya.
Traditionally it all started with Draupadi when she tied a saree knot to the bleeding hand of Lord Krishna, who was injured in the Mahabharat war by demons king Shishupala.
Krishna took a vow to protect her for all the love she showered on him. She was welcomed as a lovable sister of Lord Krishna, and the relationship between them grew stronger.
Sometimes strangers can also become our precious people, and we can have that special brotherly feeling for someone.
Rakhi is a festival for such people, and a bond of a brother and sister can be formed between them by tying the Rakhi even though they are not related. A Rakhi sister could be anyone, family or stranger, who occupies a place in a brother's heart.
In this ritual, sisters observe a fast during Raksha Bandhan, and later a Raksha Bandhan puja tray is prepared by placing Diya, Rakhi, kumkum, raw rice, and a yummy sweet dish liked by her brother.
During shubh muhurta of the full moon day, both sister and brother pray to God for his blessings. The sister conducts the puja and later ties Rakhi on Raksha Bandhan day to her brother's wrists and gets blessings from the brother.
Hindus love such festivals as it is a great chance to celebrate with the whole family.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 11 epic Raksha Bandhan significance facts on the Hindu festival of Rakhi, then why not take a look at Why do dogs' feet smell like fritos?
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With an MBA under her belt, Deepthi has discovered her true calling in content writing. Her writing repertoire is diverse, covering travel, movies, pet care, parenting, animals and birds, and more. Her joy of learning and creating has helped her craft well-written and engaging articles. When she isn't writing, Deepthi enjoys exploring new cultures, trying different foods, and spending quality time with her two children aged 7 and 12.
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Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR
With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.
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