Raksha Bandhan 2023: Date, History, Significance, Story & more.

Raksha Bandhan Quick Facts

History of Raksha Bandhan

According to Indian religious culture, the festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Shravan. This festival binds brothers and sisters in the bond of affection. On this day, the sister ties a bond of protection by applying tika on her brother's forehead, which is called Rakhi.

The history of Raksha Bandhan is very ancient and it is recognized from the Vedic period. It started in history during the Mahabharata period. According to one historian, Yudhishthira, the heroic man and prince in the Mahabharata, was a Pandava prince who was well-trained into a warrior by his commander-in-chief and king-guru Dronacharya. In this situation, sister Krishna, a symbol of loyalty and ideal of loyalty to Dronacharya, said that any woman who protects Dronacharya will be equal to the warriors protecting the unknown warrior.

Story of Raksha Bandhan

Indra and Shachi :- It is written somewhere in the Bhavishya Purana that when the war started between the Devas and the Asuras, the Asuras or Daityas started overpowering the Devas. In such a situation, seeing the defeat of the gods, Devendra Indra panicked and went to sage Brihaspati. Then on the suggestion of Brihaspati, Indra's wife Indrani (Shachi) purified a silk thread with the power of mantras and tied it on her husband's hand. Coincidentally it was the day of Shravan Purnima. As a result of which Indra became victorious. It is said that since then wives started tying rakhi on their husband's wrist for his victory in the war.

Krishna and Draupadi:- In the story of Mahabharata, there is a deep bond between Draupadi, the multifaceted lover and her beloved Lord Krishna. Draupadi tied a rakhi on her brother's wrist on the full moon day of the month of Shravan and was protected by Krishna. This story reveals the importance of Raksha Bandhan and the love between brothers and sisters.

Yamraj and Yamuna:- According to another famous legend, there was a serious relationship between Yamraj and his sister Yamuna in Hindu Puranas. One day, Yamraj went to see his sister. Yamuna tied a rakhi for her brother and kept him safe and Yamraj gave him a gift. From this legend it appears that Rakshabandhan honors the bond of love and protection between a brother and a sister.

Significance of Raksha Bandhan

Rakshabandhan is an important and beloved festival in Hindu culture. It provides an opportunity to strengthen the mutual love, bonding and protection of brothers and sisters. The word Raksha Bandhan means both the words "protection" and "bond" have a colloquial meaning. This festival is a symbol of brother's protection and sister's love. On the day of Rakshabandhan, the sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist and the brother gives her blessings and gifts. Rakhi is a sacred thread that wishes for the protection, prosperity and longevity of the brother. As soon as it is tied, the brother blesses his sister and shows his love by giving her gifts. Through this festival, a special bond is formed between brother and sister and love and relationship are strengthened.

It is a family festival which unites the family members. On this day all the family members sit together and talk about mutual love, respect and recognition. It is a sign of special unity between brother and sister and strengthens the spiritual relations of the family. Apart from this, Raksha Bandhan also holds a social significance. On this day, along with strengthening the mutual relations between brothers and sisters, the love and ideal relations of brothers and sisters are also strengthened in the society. It is a symbol of unity, harmony, harmony and social harmony.

How to celebrate Raksha Bandhan

On the day of Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie a rakhi on their brother's right hand and apply tilak on his forehead and wish him a long life. In return the brother promises to protect them. It is believed that the colorful threads of Rakhi strengthen the bond of love between brothers and sisters. Brothers and sisters feed each other sweets and assure them of being together in happiness and sorrow. It is such a holy festival that gives full respect and honor to the holy relationship of brother and sister. Apart from real brothers and sisters, many emotional relationships are also tied to this festival, which are beyond the boundaries of religion, caste and country. The festival of Raksha Bandhan is also celebrated at the residence of the President and the Prime Minister of India. Where small children go and tie rakhi to them. Rakshabandhan is a festival of strengthening relationships with the bond of intimacy and affection. This is the reason why there is a trend of tying Raksha (or Rakhi) on this occasion not only to sister and brother but also in other relationships. The Guru ties the Rakshasutra to the disciple, and the disciple to the Guru.

In ancient times in India, when a graduate left the Gurukul after completing his education, he used to tie Rakshasutra to Acharya to get his blessings, while Acharya used to tie Rakshasutra to his student with the wish that the knowledge he had acquired He should use it properly in his future life so that he can be successful in protecting the dignity of Acharya along with his knowledge. According to this tradition, even today, before any religious ritual, the priest ties the Rakshasutra to the host and the host to the priest. In this way both bind each other in their bond to protect each other's honor.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan has been a cultural measure of social and family integration or solidarity. After marriage, the sister goes to a stranger's house. Every year, on this pretext, not only her relatives but even the brothers of distant relations go to their homes and tie rakhi and in this way keep on renewing their relations. There is mutual yoga (union) of two families and clans. This festival is also used as a unity among different sections of the society. In this way the link which has been broken can be revived. Some special dishes are also prepared on the occasion of Rakshabandhan like Ghevar, Shakarpare, Namakpare and Ghughni. Ghevar is a special dessert of Sawan, it is made only by confectioners whereas Shakarpare and Namakpare are usually made at home. Black gram is boiled and sprinkled to make Ghugni. It is eaten with puri and curd. Halwa and kheer are also popular dishes of this festival.

More info about Raksha Bandhan

Rakshabandhan festival has come in different forms with changing times. Raksha Bandhan was earlier recognized as a lasting bond between brother and sister. However, nowadays the practice of temporarily tying rakhi to show love and relationship has also become prevalent. Apart from this, now a day the love and bonding between brothers and sisters is celebrated even without Raksha Bandhan. Earlier, Rakshabandhan was only valid between brothers and sisters, but now this festival is also celebrated in honor of various relations. For example, between sister-sister-in-law, sister-sister, friend-friendship, etc., the love and relationship of each other is displayed by tying rakhi.

With the modern lifestyle and technological advancement, there has been a change in the way Raksha Bandhan is celebrated. Nowadays people shop for rakhi and gifts from online stores, connect between brothers and sisters through video calls, and share Raksha Bandhan greetings on social media. With the advancement of gender equality in modern society, international families The nature of Rakshabandhan has also changed due to the growth of society and change in family ties. Now reflects the importance of harmony, respect, dedication, and cooperation, along with the temporary and permanent bond between siblings.

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