Significance of Rakshabandhan

Raksha Bandhan is one of the most popular festivals in India, which is often called the ‘land of festivals’ due to the sheer number of festivals that are celebrated in the country. There is hardly any month that passes by in our rich and diverse land without the celebration of some important festival by one community or the other. Each festival that is celebrated contributes to India’s richness and colorful diversity which is truly our country’s hallmark. The associated cultural meanings and symbolism of each festival offer rich data to understand the real psyche of the country and its peoples.

‘Raksha Bandhan’ literally translates into ‘bond of protection’. It is a Hindu festival that reaffirms the sacred bond of love between brothers and sisters. On this day, sisters tie a Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers and their brothers promise them their love and protection for life. The family unit occupies a very central place in India’s culture and the festival of Raksha Bandhan stands testimony to this. There are very few festivals that are dedicated to the celebration of a familial relationship specifically, especially the one between a brother and a sister, all over the world. This makes the festival of Raksha Bandhan truly special.

In today’s materialistic times, when economic considerations take priority over familial and social relationships, it is festivals such as these that promote love and emotional bonds. The more people prioritize money and material achievement over relationships and emotional bonds, the more imbalanced their lives, lifestyles and minds become. On special occasions that drive people’s attention back to relationships and emotional affairs, such as Raksha Bandhan, a beautiful sense of meaning and purpose returns to people’s lives that restores the precious and fine balance back to how it should be. Living life well, after all, is a fine balancing act that requires one to pay equal attention to the different facets of life – economic, emotional, social and familial. It is to this end that the significance of the festival truly lies.

In India, a girl child is usually married off anytime during the age of 20 to 25. The girl starts a new family and her focus and energy get diverted to her new family and home. Though she always remembers her maternal home and relationships with love, she is unable to devote much time or attention to those very dear relationships. There is a sudden life-changing dynamic that takes place in her life in this manner.

The relationship she shared with her brother too, changes in several ways after marriage. The closeness the relationship enjoyed and the day to day interaction both the siblings enjoyed earlier changes permanently. When a festival like Raksha Bandhan arrives, it gives the girl child an opportunity to spend some much needed quality time with her brother. The brother, too, is emotionally attached to his sister and looks forward to meeting her every year on the festival of Raksha Bandhan. The significance of the festival in the case of married sisters is quite high.

The celebration of the festival includes a prayer for the brother’s well-being and long life and the tying of a Rakhi thread as a symbol of protection and love. Brothers proudly wear their Rakhi threads on the occasion and feel loved and cared for. They, in turn, present their sisters with attractive Rakhi Gifts. Sisters too, accompany their Rakhis with gifts for their brothers. The ceremony affirms the emotional commitment that a brother and a sister feel towards their very special and treasured relationship. Brothers confirm their commitment to protecting their sisters throughout life on this festival and that is where the real meaning and significance of the festival lies.

This Raksha Bandhan, don’t let the opportunity of nurturing your relationship with your sibling go by just like that. Even if you live in another city, state or country, send Rakhi Gifts to India using the reliable services of Gujaratgifts.com and confirm your emotional commitment to the relationship that was once so very central to your life. With Rakhi gifts online, you can send gifts, rakhis or rakhi thalis simply by choosing from the collection and placing an order. Make your brother or sister feel special and celebrate the festival in a memorable manner!

Incredible India celebrates incredible festivals; festivals that truly resonates with the spirit of India. Some festivals like Rakhi are simply amazing and some are indeed though-provoking.  Interestingly, celebration of different festivals is knitted into the DNA of every Indian and of course these traditionally rich festivals go a long way in strengthening the social fabric of India.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan holds special significance in India. During this festival all brothers and sisters gear up to bond with rakhi bands and renew their vows of affection for each other. After all, there are not very many occasions where brothers and sisters get to profess their allegiance to one another. It is at times like these where they can best let their intent known.

For the starters ‘Raksha’ stands for protection while ‘Bandhan’ means an enduring bond of love. On this special day, sisters tie a silk thread called ‘Rakhi’ on their brother's wrist and pray for their well being. On the other hand brothers promise to protect their sisters all through their life-time and even present her with Rakhi Gifts. The relation between a brother and sister is no where so observed as in India. Also, an auspicious day when siblings specially pray for each others’ well-being and wish for each others' happiness.

It is only in India where every relationship is not just enjoyed, but also celebrated. With a special occasion that is dedicated to every known relationship that we share in our family, everyone has an occasion to make their loved ones feel special. The day for the brother and sister is raksha bandhan, a day which is beyond just gifting and love. This is a day when a special prayer is said for the brother, and a day when the brother makes a solemn pledge to look out for the welfare, protection and care of the sister. With the symbolic gesture of tying a rakhi around the wrist of her brother, the sister submits her care and well being to his trusted hands.

Incidentally, in these changing times, sending Rakhi Online and even sending Online Rakhi Gifts have become increasingly popular given that sisters and brothers have settled in different parts of India, or abroad for work and other reasons. It is endearing to note through this practice that the tradition and joy of gifting and the exchange of raksha bandhan gifts continues even with geographic separation.

Furthermore, the significance of the festival has increased manifold in the recent years, going beyond the brother-sister domain and extending even to those people who are not biologically related. Today, a mother, wife, daughter also can look forward to celebrating this occasion. In the bygone era, rishis tied rakhi to their devotees and the sages in fact tied rakhis to themselves to protect themselves from evil forces.

Today, individuals tie rakhis even to their neighbors and friends as well. It is said that Rakhi Utsav was first made famous by Rabindranath Tagore who used it as an instrument of peace to inspire social harmony between Hindus and Muslims.  This is not just an emotional bond, but a significant ritual which goes to show that people are united in many ways beyond being bound by family ties and religious communities. The celebration of Rakhi in India truly epitomises the faith that binds people together, and the bond that is far beyond just societal communions. Raksha Bandhan in India is all encompassing, bringing together people of all faiths and tying them together in the common thread of hope, love and promise.

In today's scenario, the day holds a unique meaning. The occasion calls individuals to embrace the pledge of moral, cultural and spiritual values. Notably, the festival holds special significance in corridors of power as well, when women and children tie the sacred thread on the wrists of the Indian PM, the President and other important dignitaries.  Even the practice of  Rakhi Delivery to the Indian soldiers on the borders adds to the aura of this festival. Also, children and women visit orphanages and jails to tie rakhi to the inmates.

This thoughtful approach towards humanity, which the thread of Rakhi promotes, is indeed quite overwhelming.