Rakshabandhan
The Hindu month of Shravan knocks on our doors with a series of auspicious festivals lined up throughout. Rakshabandhan is one of those festivals which is celebrated by the entire Hindu community throughout the globe. It falls on the full moon day (Purnima) of the Shravan month and celebrates the relationship of brothers and sisters. Etymologically, Rakshabandhan is formed using two words, “Raksha” i.e., protection and “Bandhan” i.e., bond. On this day, sisters tie Rakhi, a holy amulet, around the right wrist of their brothers which is a symbol of love and protection. The brother also vows to take the responsibility of the sister’s care and protection. The brother also gifts chocolates, jewelry, clothes, god’s idols etc. to the sister.
Origin of Rakshabandhan
There are many legends which try to capture the story behind this holy festival. It is believed that, on Shravan Purnima (full moon), Yamuna used to tie a sacred thread around the wrist of her brother Yama (the god of death). Touched by this gesture of his sister, he declared that this ritual will be celebrated by people in the days to come and whoever will get this love and affection of his sister will become immortal.
An excerpt from Mahabharata states that during the war with King Shishupal, Lord Krishna got injured. In order to stop the bleeding, Draupadi tore a piece of cloth from her saree and tied it around Lord Krishna’s wrist. Touched by this gesture, Lord Krishna vowed to love and protect Draupadi in the future.
The Kalyug story of Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun is also mentioned in the history of the country. Rani Karnavati was a widow queen of Chittor who sent a rakhi to Humayun to protect her dignity. As soon as Humayun received the rakhi, he felt honoured and vowed to protect the queen. Without any delay, he prepped his army and marched towards Chittor.
Rituals for the day
This tradition has been a part of the Hindu culture for many yugas now and is still celebrated with the same enthusiasm. The siblings wake up early, bathe themselves and wear traditional clothes. Some people observe fast before the Rakshabandhan ritual is performed and hence do not consume food till the right time has arrived.
The best time to perform this ritual is said to be the Aparahan, which is late afternoon. This muhurt is considered perfect for the rakhi tying ritual. Pradosh time is also considered auspicious for this ritual. The time during which this ceremony should not be performed is during Bhadra. It is believed that Ravan’s sister Surpanakha tied rakhi to her brother in this muhurt and this led to Ravan’s death within a year. It is considered the most malicious time to celebrate this festival and should be avoided at any cost. An expert in astrology can be the best guide for this since they have the knowledge to read a panchang and suggest the perfect time for tying Rakhi.
The sister ties the rakhi and prays to the almighty gods to protect her brother from all negative energy and people. She also prays for his long life and prosperous future. Aarti and sweets are offered to the brother who in turn touches the feet of the sister for her blessings. Exchanging gifts is also a widely recognized part of this ritual. The brother vows to take good care of her sister and protect her. The rakhi is a symbol of love and purity of this relationship.
Date and Muhurt of Rakshabandhan 2020
Date – 3rd August 2020
Sunrise – 05:44 am
Sunset – 07:11 pm
Shubh Muhurt – 05:49 am to 06:01 pm
Aparahan Muhurt – 01:47 pm to 04:28 pm
Pradosh Muhurt – 07:10 pm to 09:17 pm