India is a country whose culture is reflected through various festivals celebrated there. In this unique country, during every month and every season, there are some of the other festivals through which one can see a glimpse of the country’s rich culture. Raksha Bandhan is one such distinctive festival that falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar and is a symbol of brother’s love for his beloved sister. This festival of siblings is mainly prevalent among Hindus, but due to its uniqueness, people of all religions in India celebrate it with much enthusiasm and gusto.
‘Raksha Bandhan’ is not just a festival, but a symbol of our traditions and culture that keeps us connected with our family sacraments. The original spirit of this festival lies in 2 words i.e ‘Raksha’ which means to protect & ‘Bandhan’ which means binding or bonding. So, in simple words, to bind oneself for protecting someone is “Raksha Bandhan’. On this day the sister ties the silken thread of rakhi on her beloved brother’s wrist, thereby metaphorically strengthening the bond of love that exists in their relationship and in return, the brothers also make a promise to the sisters to protect them lifelong from all kind of problems. It’s a fact that from the time we are born till the time we die, we are constantly surrounded by some kind of fear or insecurities, and where there is a feeling of fear within, the spirit of protection automatically becomes prime. It is this spirit of protection with which a sister ties Rakhi to her brother while praying to almighty to keep her brother always safe & secure.
With the passage of time, this festival has acquired different expressions and connotations. In present times/milieu where glamour is ruling people’s heart and mind, there has been a major change observed in man’s attitude & approach towards this festival, as a result of which mutual feelings of love, affection & most importantly piousness has completely disappeared, because of which the current generations are asking questions like – How can one protect somebody just by getting a smooth cotton thread on his wrist which is easily breakable? Do such rituals or practices seem practical in today’s modern world? Those who are posing these questions must first of all understand that ‘Rakhi’ is merely not a cotton thread but a sacred obligation to protect modesty and also explains the importance of restraint in life. While tying Rakhi on her brother’s hand, a sister does not just seek protection for herself only, No! she keeps a much higher spirit of seeking protection for the entire female community. Along with this, she also prays to Lord in her heart that her beloved brother becomes liberated from vices of lust, anger, greed, attachment & ego and attains true peace & happiness in life. Thus, it is important for those so-called modern & practical people to realize that tying Rakhi is just a symbolic gesture, what’s important in this ritual is feelings of good wishes & prayers that come out from a sister’s heart and which further acts as a shield of protection for her brother.
A number of legends are connected with the tying of the Rakhi, symbolizing the bond of love and protection, but the most intriguing one is where the deities are said to have lost their heavenly kingdom to the devils and then Indrani, Lord Indra’s wife applies tilak on his forehead and ties him a Rakhi before he sets out for war to regain the lost sovereignty. In time, the deities gain victory and return to heaven. However, one wonders how is this fable applicable to us? Are only females in need of protection? Wouldn’t God – our Beloved Supreme Parent, Teacher be a more effective and a loyal Protector? We often forget our true identity of being an infinitesimal point of the divine energy i.e a soul. We get entangled in the web or bondages of 5 vices (lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego) which overpowers us and influence us to perform negative actions, which in turn causes sorrow & misery. So, when Almighty applies the “tilak” of soul-consciousness on our forehead, we become elevated & divine and start seeing each other as souls and not the body. This unlimited vision of brotherhood breaks all barriers of caste, creed, gender, religion and superstitions, thereby purifying our consciousness & making our actions positive to receive HIS blessings and good wishes and stay under the canopy of his protection for eternity. So, let’s bind ourselves in this ‘Spiritual Bond’ that would liberate us from all bondages & help us to regain our lost sovereignty.
