It is human nature to see the unseen and to know the unknown. For this, all we have to do is to travel and go through interesting books that broaden our horizon of knowledge. Now if you want to arise the 'ever-curious soul' within yourself, this article would then be ideal for you!
This article is comprises one of the glorious and famous Hindu rituals celebrated with pomp and grandeur especially between a sister and a brother in different parts of India. Undoubtedly , one can say India is a stronghold of many ancient cultures and traditions. In fact one can say India a container contained with enormous rituals and customs to the brink or a storybook stuffed with strange and surprising stories. You may not believe what you read, you may not agree with what written but, but thing is for sure. You can not help reading. Because the more you read the more fascinating it becomes. If you are a foreigner and land up in India, you may experience rituals like 'fighting fire with fire' , 'smashing coconuts on head' , 'self-flagellation' , 'worshipping of weapons' , 'human-animal wedding' , 'wedding without a bridegroom' , 'worshipping of snakes' and so on. They are very strange and even can make you feel uneasy. But wait don't get scared! In this article I am not going to talk about all these. This article is simply on an auspicious ceremony that the Hindus celebrate in India with utter love and respect - "The Raksha Bandhan". Here you will get a consistent account of the very ritual from introduction to conclusion.
INTRODUCTION :
A glorious festivity of Hindu religion, Raksha Bandhan is a joyous occasion amongst the brothers and sisters. The beauty of this ritual lies in the fact that no matter how much the siblings quarrel or fight, in this occasion they promise to protect each other and remain intact forever. 'Rakhi' ( the thread, a staple thing of this festival) is celebrated auspiciously on a full moon day or a Purnima day in the month of Shravana in the Bengali calendar. In this year of 2018, the auspicious occasion falls on 26th August, Sunday, and the holy time begin at 6 o'clock in the morning and ends around five thirty in the evening.
WHAT IS 'RAKHI' ?
'Rakhi' is usually a thread, tailsman or amulet which the sisters tie on the wrists of their brothers praying for their good health and well-being, and in return the sisters receive gifts from their sweet brothers. The time period of this holy ritual, 6 am to 5:30 pm, is known as Aparahan which is considered the best time to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. The ritual is also known as 'Rakhi Purnima' as it is held on a full moon day or a Purnima (full moon day) day.
According to R. S. McGregor's Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, 1993, the name of the festival, rakśābandhan, a Hindi word, is composed of the Sanskrit loanword rakśā, which means, "protection," or "care", and a second Sanskrit loanword "bandhan", which means "fastening," or "tying together." The first noun is feminine and the second one is masculine.
SIGNIFICANCE :
On the day of Raksha Bandhan, literally meaning the bond of love and protection, both the brother and sister promise evergreen love and care for each other; while the brothers take a vow to protect the sisters from any difficulty, the sisters pray long life for their brothers.
Many myths and folklore lies peppered on the sacred Raksha Bandhan ceremony. A few of the more interesting ones are as follows :
• According to the epic Mahabharata, Lord Krishna, in the company of Pandavas, flying kites, cut his finger on the kite string. Then Draupadi, to stop bleeding, tore a small piece of her attire and tied it around the injured finger of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was moved by this benevolent gesture of Draupadi and promised lifelong protection to her. It is believed that when Kauravas was trying to loot Draupadi's dignity by disrobing her, it is that small piece of cloth that Sri Krishna increased both in size and number to cover her up while she was being stripped.
• Another myth that surrounds Rakshi Bandhan is the creation of Goddess Santosi by Lord Ganesha. Yes, it is believed that when his two sons, Shubh and Labh, were insisting on having a sister, Lord Ganesha had created Goddess Santosi out of flames as their sister. Raksha Bandhan is also celebrated to grace this divine love between Shubh and Labh, and Goddess Santosi.
• Another myth associated with Raksha Bandhan is the bond of love between Yama and Yamuna, the two brother and sister. As per mythology, Yamuna, the river, tied a thread on the wrist of Yama, the God of Death, to symbolize the eternal love between them as siblings. Yama was moved to a large extant by this gesture of Yamuna and promised immortality and protection to her. Yama also promised that he would bless every brother who protected his sister with a long life.
• One more interesting story lies there for you. According to the Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana, after Vishnu won the three worlds from the possession of King Bali, Bali requested to Vishnu to stay with him in his palace. Vishnu kept his request. However, Vishnu's wife, Lakshmi, did not like the palace or the intimacy of his husband with Bali. She requested Vishnu to return to Baikuntha, the residence where Vishnu resides. But seeing no effect, Lakshmi visited King Bali and tied a thread on his wrist, therefore making Bali a brother to her. Bali was pleased by Lakshmi's such behavior and asked what gift she wanted for her. Lakshmi asked Vishnu to be freed from the request that he would dwell in Bali's palace. Bali agreed to her request and also accepted Lakshmi as his sister.
So here basically I have given some popular myths people believe to be the causes behind the origin of 'Raksha Bandhan'. Hope these popular myths triggered some curiosity in your mind in respect to Indian culture. Now let's get acquainted with procedures people follow to celebrate 'Rakhi'.
PROCEDURES OF CELEBRATING RAKSHA BANDHAN IN INDIA :
While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in different portions of Indian subcontinent, different religions mark the day in different ways.
(1) In West Bengal and Odisha :
In the states of West Bengal and Odisha, this day is also known as 'Rakhi Purnina'. On this day people worship Lord Krishna and Radha together praying for well-being. Sisters tie threads to brothers and wish a long life. The celebration is not only confined here, in offices, schools, colleges, political parties, streets , too, the day is celebrated and graced with a new hope for good relationship.
(2) In North India :
In the regions of North India, especially in Jammu, the day is celebrated by flying kites on nearby occasions of Janmastami (the day when Lord Krishna was born) and Raksha Bandhan. On and around these two dates you will find the sky peppered with many kites of different sizes and shapes. The locals buy kilometers of robust kite string, commonly known as "gattu door" in the colloquial language, along with heaps of kites. The day is , hence, graced joyously and jocundly.
(3) In Hariana :
In addition to celebrating Raksha Bandhan, the people of Hariana also observe the festival 'Salono'. Salono is a festival performed by priests by tying threads or amulets against sinister influences on people's wrists. Moreover, sisters tie threads on brothers wishing their long lives and in return the brothers offer gifts to the sisters and commit heartily to ensure their security.
(4) In Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa :
In the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is observed along with Narali Purnima or simply known as 'coconut day festival'. The fishermen of these coastal areas depend mainly on sea to make their livelihood. So as per rituals, they throw coconuts into the sea as offerings to Vishnu, the God of Sea. In the monsoon season the sea water and fish get positively affected by rains. Hence the festival of Nariyal Purnima is an endeavor to please God Vishnu.
(5) In Nepal :
The Nepalese refer Raksha Bandhan to as 'Janai Purnima' or Rishitarpani, and involve a sacred thread ceremony. The ceremony is observed by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal. The Hindu men change their threads they have on their chests (Janai). On the other hand, some of the Nepalese girls and women tie Rakhi on their brothers' wrists. Even it is to be noted that some Hindus of Nepal observe this festival during the days of Tihar (or Diwali) festival.
(6) In Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh :
In the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, the ceremony of Shravani conducted on the day of Raksha Bandhan has different significance. Since Rakhi is observed in the month of Shravana, it is ideal for farmers to cultivate and plough the soil for its fruitfulness. Because monsoon is the best time to get affluent rain water which is emphatically conducive to farming activities. The people of these states celebrate the same festival during Raksha Bandhan.
Rabindranath Tagore's Contributions to This Festival :
Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian Novel Laureate for literature, gave a rise to Raksha Bandhan and Rakhi as concepts to inspire love, respect and mutual protection. In the year 1905, the British divided Bengal on the ground of religion. Rabindranath Tagore, to save the bond of love and fraternity between Hindus and Muslims, arranged a ceremony to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. He urged the two religions to get united and fight against the British. Eventually in 1911, the British ruled out the division and unified Bengal. But at that time, the Muslims objected to the unification making Rabindranath Tagore's concept land up in futility. Bengal not only was split during the colonial era, one part became predominantly Muslims, Bangladesh, the other a Hindu state of West Bengal. Rabindranath Tagore invoked Raksha Bandhan to ensure love, fraternity and harmony amongst people but his concept eventually bore no fruit. But still, some parts of West Bengal celebrate Raksha Bandhan to pay heed to his thoughts. It has been quite exemplary!
I have quoted below one of Tagore's poems addressing Rakhi :
CONCLUSION :
Today Raksha Bandhan is no longer limited to the love between a brother and a sister or blood relation. Its arena has become wide. Now a days even sisters tie rakhi to each other praying for long life and good rapport amongst themselves. In fact, as per my view, festivals have become an excuse to get rid of daily routine and drudgery. For festivals pave the way for us to indulge ourselves in sheer love and merriment. It has become an integral part of our life.
This article is comprises one of the glorious and famous Hindu rituals celebrated with pomp and grandeur especially between a sister and a brother in different parts of India. Undoubtedly , one can say India is a stronghold of many ancient cultures and traditions. In fact one can say India a container contained with enormous rituals and customs to the brink or a storybook stuffed with strange and surprising stories. You may not believe what you read, you may not agree with what written but, but thing is for sure. You can not help reading. Because the more you read the more fascinating it becomes. If you are a foreigner and land up in India, you may experience rituals like 'fighting fire with fire' , 'smashing coconuts on head' , 'self-flagellation' , 'worshipping of weapons' , 'human-animal wedding' , 'wedding without a bridegroom' , 'worshipping of snakes' and so on. They are very strange and even can make you feel uneasy. But wait don't get scared! In this article I am not going to talk about all these. This article is simply on an auspicious ceremony that the Hindus celebrate in India with utter love and respect - "The Raksha Bandhan". Here you will get a consistent account of the very ritual from introduction to conclusion.
INTRODUCTION :
A glorious festivity of Hindu religion, Raksha Bandhan is a joyous occasion amongst the brothers and sisters. The beauty of this ritual lies in the fact that no matter how much the siblings quarrel or fight, in this occasion they promise to protect each other and remain intact forever. 'Rakhi' ( the thread, a staple thing of this festival) is celebrated auspiciously on a full moon day or a Purnima day in the month of Shravana in the Bengali calendar. In this year of 2018, the auspicious occasion falls on 26th August, Sunday, and the holy time begin at 6 o'clock in the morning and ends around five thirty in the evening.
'Rakhi' is usually a thread, tailsman or amulet which the sisters tie on the wrists of their brothers praying for their good health and well-being, and in return the sisters receive gifts from their sweet brothers. The time period of this holy ritual, 6 am to 5:30 pm, is known as Aparahan which is considered the best time to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. The ritual is also known as 'Rakhi Purnima' as it is held on a full moon day or a Purnima (full moon day) day.
According to R. S. McGregor's Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, 1993, the name of the festival, rakśābandhan, a Hindi word, is composed of the Sanskrit loanword rakśā, which means, "protection," or "care", and a second Sanskrit loanword "bandhan", which means "fastening," or "tying together." The first noun is feminine and the second one is masculine.
On the day of Raksha Bandhan, literally meaning the bond of love and protection, both the brother and sister promise evergreen love and care for each other; while the brothers take a vow to protect the sisters from any difficulty, the sisters pray long life for their brothers.
See this short clip of Rakhi Bandhan :
MYTHS BEHIND RAKSHA BANDHAN :
• According to the epic Mahabharata, Lord Krishna, in the company of Pandavas, flying kites, cut his finger on the kite string. Then Draupadi, to stop bleeding, tore a small piece of her attire and tied it around the injured finger of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was moved by this benevolent gesture of Draupadi and promised lifelong protection to her. It is believed that when Kauravas was trying to loot Draupadi's dignity by disrobing her, it is that small piece of cloth that Sri Krishna increased both in size and number to cover her up while she was being stripped.
• Another myth that surrounds Rakshi Bandhan is the creation of Goddess Santosi by Lord Ganesha. Yes, it is believed that when his two sons, Shubh and Labh, were insisting on having a sister, Lord Ganesha had created Goddess Santosi out of flames as their sister. Raksha Bandhan is also celebrated to grace this divine love between Shubh and Labh, and Goddess Santosi.
• Another myth associated with Raksha Bandhan is the bond of love between Yama and Yamuna, the two brother and sister. As per mythology, Yamuna, the river, tied a thread on the wrist of Yama, the God of Death, to symbolize the eternal love between them as siblings. Yama was moved to a large extant by this gesture of Yamuna and promised immortality and protection to her. Yama also promised that he would bless every brother who protected his sister with a long life.
• One more interesting story lies there for you. According to the Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana, after Vishnu won the three worlds from the possession of King Bali, Bali requested to Vishnu to stay with him in his palace. Vishnu kept his request. However, Vishnu's wife, Lakshmi, did not like the palace or the intimacy of his husband with Bali. She requested Vishnu to return to Baikuntha, the residence where Vishnu resides. But seeing no effect, Lakshmi visited King Bali and tied a thread on his wrist, therefore making Bali a brother to her. Bali was pleased by Lakshmi's such behavior and asked what gift she wanted for her. Lakshmi asked Vishnu to be freed from the request that he would dwell in Bali's palace. Bali agreed to her request and also accepted Lakshmi as his sister.
So here basically I have given some popular myths people believe to be the causes behind the origin of 'Raksha Bandhan'. Hope these popular myths triggered some curiosity in your mind in respect to Indian culture. Now let's get acquainted with procedures people follow to celebrate 'Rakhi'.
PROCEDURES OF CELEBRATING RAKSHA BANDHAN IN INDIA :
While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in different portions of Indian subcontinent, different religions mark the day in different ways.
(1) In West Bengal and Odisha :
In the states of West Bengal and Odisha, this day is also known as 'Rakhi Purnina'. On this day people worship Lord Krishna and Radha together praying for well-being. Sisters tie threads to brothers and wish a long life. The celebration is not only confined here, in offices, schools, colleges, political parties, streets , too, the day is celebrated and graced with a new hope for good relationship.
(2) In North India :
In the regions of North India, especially in Jammu, the day is celebrated by flying kites on nearby occasions of Janmastami (the day when Lord Krishna was born) and Raksha Bandhan. On and around these two dates you will find the sky peppered with many kites of different sizes and shapes. The locals buy kilometers of robust kite string, commonly known as "gattu door" in the colloquial language, along with heaps of kites. The day is , hence, graced joyously and jocundly.
(3) In Hariana :
In addition to celebrating Raksha Bandhan, the people of Hariana also observe the festival 'Salono'. Salono is a festival performed by priests by tying threads or amulets against sinister influences on people's wrists. Moreover, sisters tie threads on brothers wishing their long lives and in return the brothers offer gifts to the sisters and commit heartily to ensure their security.
(4) In Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa :
In the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is observed along with Narali Purnima or simply known as 'coconut day festival'. The fishermen of these coastal areas depend mainly on sea to make their livelihood. So as per rituals, they throw coconuts into the sea as offerings to Vishnu, the God of Sea. In the monsoon season the sea water and fish get positively affected by rains. Hence the festival of Nariyal Purnima is an endeavor to please God Vishnu.
(5) In Nepal :
The Nepalese refer Raksha Bandhan to as 'Janai Purnima' or Rishitarpani, and involve a sacred thread ceremony. The ceremony is observed by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal. The Hindu men change their threads they have on their chests (Janai). On the other hand, some of the Nepalese girls and women tie Rakhi on their brothers' wrists. Even it is to be noted that some Hindus of Nepal observe this festival during the days of Tihar (or Diwali) festival.
(6) In Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh :
In the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, the ceremony of Shravani conducted on the day of Raksha Bandhan has different significance. Since Rakhi is observed in the month of Shravana, it is ideal for farmers to cultivate and plough the soil for its fruitfulness. Because monsoon is the best time to get affluent rain water which is emphatically conducive to farming activities. The people of these states celebrate the same festival during Raksha Bandhan.
Rabindranath Tagore's Contributions to This Festival :
Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian Novel Laureate for literature, gave a rise to Raksha Bandhan and Rakhi as concepts to inspire love, respect and mutual protection. In the year 1905, the British divided Bengal on the ground of religion. Rabindranath Tagore, to save the bond of love and fraternity between Hindus and Muslims, arranged a ceremony to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. He urged the two religions to get united and fight against the British. Eventually in 1911, the British ruled out the division and unified Bengal. But at that time, the Muslims objected to the unification making Rabindranath Tagore's concept land up in futility. Bengal not only was split during the colonial era, one part became predominantly Muslims, Bangladesh, the other a Hindu state of West Bengal. Rabindranath Tagore invoked Raksha Bandhan to ensure love, fraternity and harmony amongst people but his concept eventually bore no fruit. But still, some parts of West Bengal celebrate Raksha Bandhan to pay heed to his thoughts. It has been quite exemplary!
"The love in my body and heart
For the earth's shadow and light
Has stayed over yea
With its cares and its hope it has thrown
A language of its own
Into blue skies.
It lives in my joys and glooms
In the spring night's buds and blooms
Like a Rakhi-band
On the Future's hand."
CONCLUSION :
Today Raksha Bandhan is no longer limited to the love between a brother and a sister or blood relation. Its arena has become wide. Now a days even sisters tie rakhi to each other praying for long life and good rapport amongst themselves. In fact, as per my view, festivals have become an excuse to get rid of daily routine and drudgery. For festivals pave the way for us to indulge ourselves in sheer love and merriment. It has become an integral part of our life.
Here is to wishing everyone Universal Love and Fraternity. Happy Raksha Bandhan !!
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