Raksha Bandha, by Angad Madan
During this time of the year, Hindus worldwide observe the festival of Rakhi, or Raksha Bandhan, literally meaning “bond of protection” between brothers and sisters. To mark this occasion, in Hindu families the sister blesses her brother by tying a holy thread on his wrist. In return, the brother gives a gift to his sister and vows to protect her. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the Shravan Purnima day; this year, it was on August 28, 2007.
One of the origins of Raksha Bandhan dates back to the time of Mahabharat, around 3000 BCE. When Lord Krishna wounded his finger, Draupadi, the devoted wife of the Pandavas, immediately took a piece of her sari and wrapped it around his finger to stop the bleeding. In return, Sri Krishna vowed to always protect her. He later came to her rescue by preventing the Kauravas from removing her sari in a public hall, thereby protecting her honor.
Raksha Bandhan has important functions even today in modern society. It sends the message of unity among all people and that we are all brothers and sisters and should therefore treat each other as such. There are even humanitarian applications for Rakhi, where girls and children tie Rakhi to inmates of orphanages and prisons, giving them a sign of hope and upliftment by letting them know that they too have a symbolic duty to see society as their brothers and sisters.
A modern example of interest refers to the Kargil War of 1999, when women across Bharat (India) sent Rakhis to the soldiers who were fighting on the battlefront to protect the country from terrorist infiltrators of Pakistan. One advertisement in Times of India (1999) read, “Let us all send a Thread to our Brave Soldiers in Kargil…” Another such ad read, “Let’s break the tradition of Sisters sending Rakhis to their Brothers this time and approach the widows of Kargil Heroes with Rakhis to tie.” In another instance, a 10 year old girl sent Rakhi to a Battalion with the message that “she is proud to be a sister of the brave jawans who are really protecting her and all our country from the enemy.” These words of encouragement were read aloud to all the soldiers.
It would not be unreasonable to say that this moral support was one of the factors for Bharat’s swift victory in the war. After all, the atmosphere of war can be quite demoralizing and discouraging, which is why blessings from a sister can renew the energy and morale. Also, Raksha Bandhan has also been an occasion to honor the fallen soldiers of this war and the subsequent battles of today. According to The Tribune (2006), the sisters of Naik Paramjeet Singh, who laid down his life fighting the infiltrators, continue to tie his Rakhi to this very day. His sisters, Surjeet and Baljeet Kaur of Ludhiana, tie the Rakhi on the wrist of his statue which stands in their native village. However, they have not one word of regret and proudly say, “There is none whom we can call our brother. But at this time, the nation needed him more than us.” And, in this village it is a tradition each year for all girls and children to tie Rakhi on the statue of this martyred jawan.
Raksha Bandhan is not only a celebration of the unity of brother and sister, but of the society as a whole. Hopefully, we can learn to treat each other as brothers and sisters every day of the year, and follow the example of Lord Krishna who rescued Draupadi from evil-minded people. However, as the “Hollywood/Bollywood” culture continues to come into Hindu society in Bharat and abroad, this type of relationship is being disintegrated as women are treated as objects and where their honor and dignity is no longer of significance. Raksha Bandhan is the reminder that it is our Dharma (divine duty) to protect this bond and thereby unite the whole society. Let us always follow this noble example of Sri Krishna and respect each other as fellow divine souls (Atma) rather than mere objects.
I would like to dedicate this article to my sisters, Zeenia and Gauri. I vow to always help and protect you as your brother. Please continue to give me blessings so that I may follow the right path in life. God bless you.
Angad Madan is a junior at Rice University in Houston. He was born and brought up in New York. His parents are from Punjab, India. You can reach him at angadmadan1987@gmail.com
Email This Post