Today we are going to discuss an Indian festival called Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan. This is a very popular holiday celebrated primarily in northern India. It is a festival that celebrates the love between a brother and sister. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother’s wrist. This symbolizes the sister’s love and prayers for her brother’s well-being, and the brother’s lifelong vow to protect her. The history behind the festival goes back to Vishnu, a Hindu God who was on earth in one of his multiple incarnations as Lord Krishna and a woman named Draupadi. She was a faithful follower of Lord Krishna and during a battle he was injured on the wrist. To staunch the wound she tore a piece of her scarf to tie around his wrist. Later she was gambled away by her husband to a man who tried to dishonor her by undoing her sari. Lord Krishna through his divine powers make her sari unending to save her honor thus repaying the vow he made to protect her. It has also been reportedly linked to Alexander the Great and the Muslim Emperor Humayun so there are historical references as well as religious ones. In the majority of Indian families, the line of family is a bit blurred and cousins are considered brother and sister. Because of this, sisters, cousins, nieces and other relatives go to their brothers or the men in their lives that they are closest to, besides the spouse … that is deemed creepy :) , and tie the rakhi. Now the rakhi is a work of art, sometimes made personally by the girl, sometimes bought, but they are lavish, gem and flower covered threads that honestly must make some of the men cringe! Our landlord Anoop is a man of late thirties or early forties and I saw him not too long after Rakhi last year. He had three threads on his wrist and they were um, let’s just say my six-year-old niece would have LOVED them! One had large plastic flowers, and one had gemstones all over it. And as the guy you are supposed to wear them until they fall off so usually months. My husband only has brothers so as a kid his girl cousins came to him and his brothers with rakhi. Not as much anymore, although Raj (his middle brother) is going to the cousin’s house tomorrow. However, there is no age limit to this custom. Even now my husband’s mom celebrates with her brothers. In fact her and papa called a little while ago and said they were on their way to Delhi to spend the night at her brother’s house so they would be there tomorrow to share Rakhi. It is a very cool holiday and one I love to watch. It celebrates the kinship between siblings that only siblings have. My own brother is a pain in the backside, but he is mine and I wouldn’t trade him for anything. He has always been my biggest supporter, protector and knight in black armor (he wouldn’t wear white). I love him dearly so this holiday makes a lot of sense to me. However, I do have to say he should count his blessings that we are not Indian because the bling I would have made him wear would have made a drag queen envious!! Gotta love brothers ♥. What do you think of this holiday? Would you celebrate it and would you include your cousins as well? And finally, why don’t we have a holiday like this in the states?
Posted on: Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:11:14 +0000