Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated every year on 'Shravan Purnima' (Full Moon Day of the Hindu month of Shravan), which generally falls in the month of August.  It is also called Rakhi Purnima in most of India.

Celebrations :

The preparations for this pious festival begin well in advance. The market places wear a festive look with different varieties of colorful Rakhis on display in shops. Girls start the shopping and preparations quite early for Rakhi. They shop for new clothes and buy Rakhis, especially the ones that have to be sent to the brothers staying away. The sweet shops, the garment shops, gift shops, all are swamped with things to draw people. Rakhis are available in different sizes, colors and shapes from the characteristic round ones to heart shaped, symbolizing the bond of love between brothers and sisters. 

 On the auspicious day of Rakhi, sisters wake up in the morning, take bath, offer prayers to the Almighty and visit their brothers to perform the rituals of Rakhi. The ritual of Raksha Bandhan essentially includes tying of sacred thread by the sisters, on their brothers' wrist. Before tying Rakhi, the sisters would perform an aarti, apply tilak (by mixing rice grains and roli) on their brother's forehead and then offer them sweet. 

History & Legends :

Yamuna was the sister of Lord Yama, the God of death. On every "Shravan Purnima", Yamuna used to tie a sacred thread (Rakhi) to Lord Yama. Since then, it has become a tradition for sisters to tie Rakhi to their brothers on this day.Another incident from the epic Mahabharat concerns Krishna and Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. She had once torn a strip of silk off her sari and tied it around Krishna's wrist to stanch the bleeding from a battlefield wound. Krishna was touched by her action and declared her to be his sister, even though they were unrelated.According to a legend the Demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had taken up the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi wished to be with her lord back in her abode. She went to Bali disguised as a woman to seek refuge till her husband came back.

During the Shravan Purnima celebrations, Lakshmi tied the sacred thread to the King. Upon being asked, she revealed who she was and why she was there. The king was touched by her goodwill for his family and her purpose and requested the Lord to accompany her. He sacrificed all he had for the Lord and his devoted wife.This thread was yellow that made yellow Raksha Bandhan popular among brothers and sisters.

Thus, devotion to the Lord. It is said that since then it has been a tradition to invite sisters in Shravan Purnima for the thread tying ceremony or the Raksha Bandhan.

Different Names of Rakhi :

• In northern and western part of India, Raksha Bandhan is also called "Rakhi Purnima".
• In Western Ghats and the adjoining regions Rakhi is called "Nariyal Purnima" to signify the full moon like coconut.
• In southern part of the India Raksha Bandhan is celebrated as "Avani Avittam / Upakarmam
• Central India celebrates Rakhi as "Kajari Purnima".
• Raksha Bandhan is celebrated by the name of Pavitrapana in the western parts of India.

2016 Date : 18^th August, Thursday.

2017 Date : 7th August.