[Assam] Raksha Bandhan on 16th August, 2008

[Pradip Kumar Datta]

Celebrate Rakhi on Saturday, 16th August, 2008

Rakhi: The Thread of LoveBy Subhamoy Das
		The chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister is one of the deepest 
  and noblest of human emotions. 'Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi' is a special occasion 
  to celebrate this emotional bonding by tying a holy thread around the wrist. 
  This thread, which pulsates with sisterly love and sublime sentiments, is rightly 
  called the ‘Rakhi’. It means 'a bond of protection', and Raksha 
  Bandhan  signifies that the strong must protect the weak from all that’s 
  evil. 
The ritual is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu 
  month of Shravan, on which sisters tie the sacred Rakhi string on 
  their brothers' right wrists, and pray for their long life. Rakhis are ideally 
  made of silk with gold and silver threads, beautifully crafted embroidered sequins, 
  and studded with semi precious stones.

The Social Binding 
  This ritual not only strengthens the bond of love between brothers 
  and sisters, but also transcends the confines of the family. When a Rakhi is 
  tied on the wrists of close friends and neighbors, it underscores the need for 
  a harmonious social life, where every individual co-exist peacefully as brothers 
  and sisters. All members of the community commit to protect each other and the 
  society in such congregational Rakhi Utsavs, popularized by the Nobel laureate 
  Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.


The Friendly Knot
  It won’t be wrong to say the fashionable friendship band in vogue today 
  is an extension of the Rakhi custom. When a girl feels a friend of the opposite 
  sex has developed a kind of love too strong for her to reciprocate, she sends 
  the guy a Rakhi and turns the relationship into a sisterly one. This is one 
  way of saying, "let’s just be friends", without hurting the other 
  person's soft feelings for her.


The Auspicious Full Moon
In Northern India, Rakhi Purnima is also called Kajri Purnima 
  or Kajri Navami, when wheat or barley is sown, and goddess
   Bhagwati is worshipped. In Western states, the festival is called Nariyal Purnima 
  or the Coconut Full Moon. In Southern India, Shravan Purnima is an important 
  religious occasion, especially for the Brahmins.
 Raksha Bandhan is known by various names: Vish Tarak - 
  the destroyer of venom, Punya Pradayak - the bestower of boons, and Pap 
  Nashak - the destroyer of sins.


Rakhi in History
  The strong bond represented by Rakhi has resulted in innumerable political ties 
  among kingdoms and princely states. The pages of Indian history testify that 
  the Rajput and 
  Maratha queens have 
  sent Rakhis even to Mughal
   kings who, despite their differences, have assuaged their Rakhi-sisters by offering 
  help and protection at critical moments and honoured the fraternal bond. Even 
  matrimonial alliances have been established between kingdoms through the exchange 
  of Rakhis. 
History has it that the great Hindu 
  King Porus refrained from striking Alexander, the Great  because the latter’s 
  wife had approached this mighty adversary and tied a Rakhi on his hand, prior 
  to the battle, urging him not to hurt her husband.



Rakhi Myths & Legends
According to one mythological allusion, Rakhi was intended to be the
worship of the sea-god Varuna. Hence, offerings of coconut to Varuna,
ceremonial bathing and fairs at waterfronts accompany this festival.

There are also myths that describe the ritual as observed by Indrani and Yamuna for their respective brothers Indra and Yama. 
Once, Lord Indra stood almost vanquished in a long-drawn battle against
the demons. Full of remorse, he sought the advice of Guru Brihaspati,
who suggested for his sortie the auspicious day of Shravan Purnima
(fullmoon day of the month of Shravan). On that day, Indra's wife and
Brihaspati tied a sacred thread on the wrist of Indra, who then
attacked the demon with renewed force and routed him.
Thus the Raksha Bhandhan symbolizes all aspects of protection of the
good from evil forces. Even in the great epic Mahabharata, we find
Krishna advising Yudhishtthir to tie the puissant Rakhi to guard
himself against impending evils.
In the ancient Puranik scriptures, it is said that King Bali's
stronghold had been the Raakhi. Hence while tying the rakhi this
couplet is usually recited:

Yena baddho Balee raajaa daanavendro mahaabalah

tena twaam anubadhnaami rakshe maa chala maa chala

"I am tying a Rakhi on you, like the one on mighty demon king Bali. Be firm, O Rakhi, do not falter."



Why Rakhi?
  Rituals like Rakhi, there is no doubt, help ease out various societal strains, 
  induce fellow-feeling, open up channels of expression, give us an opportunity 
  to rework on our role as human beings and, most importantly, bring joy in our 
  mundane lives.
 “May all be happy

  May all be free from ills

  May all behold only the good

  May none be in distress.”
 This has always been the idea of an ideal Hindu society.