Festival : Rakshabandhan
Lunar Day (tithi) : Shravan Shuddha Pournima (Full moon day)
श्रावण पूर्णिमायां भद्रारहितायां त्रिमुहुर्ताधिकोद
यद्व्यापिण्यामपरान्हे प्रदोषे वा कार्यं |
इदं ग्रहण संक्रान्ति दिनेsपि कर्तव्यं ||
Reference from Mythological scriptures
- Narad Purana (chap.24) has reference of tying a sacred thread (rakshasutra) when a disciple initiates his studies related to vedas on the auspicious day of Shravan Pournima
- Bhavishya Purana has a reference of God King Indra’s wife tying a sacred thread (rakshasutra) to his hand be before he left to kill demon Vrutrasur
- “तन्न आ बध्नामि शतशारदाय आयुष्मान् जरदष्टिर्यथसत् |”
Yajurveda (chap. 34.52) suggests, the acceptance of mutual bond i.e. Rakshabandhan in order to live a healthy life for a hundred years and attain longevity in life.
Method of celebration
- Offer rice, gold and while mustard in a small cloth pocket made of new cloth, to your deity or kuldevata.
- Place a Povati/Rakhi and worship it.
(A Povati is a holy band made of 9 threads/strings with 8 knots. Pavatis are created by same procedure is repeated during Mahalaxmi utsav for all the family members) - Omkar should be honored (worshiped) by invokin/appealing Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh on it
- After offering the naivedyam as per kulachar this Rakhi/Povati should be offered to the Sun God
- After chanting following shloka get the Rakhi tied by the virtuous lady of your family
येन बद्धो बली राजा दानवेन्द्रो महाबलाः |
तेन त्वां प्रतिबध्नामि रक्षे माचल माचल ||
Traditional Significance of the festival
- It is said in Manusmriti,
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः |
यत्रै नास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्रा फलः क्रियाः ||
Stree shakti (women) should be respected according to Manu. Disrespected of the Stree shakti will result into complete failure of all actions. Hence the holy thread is tied by sister or wife - Rakshabandhan is a means of creating a sense of religion according to Indian tradition. (Guru-Shishya) Teacher and disciple tradition also ties this holy thread of Rakhi. It is often seen that this sacred sutra is tied to village priest or Guru.
- Jain community celebrates this festival as Raksha parva.
Historical Importance
- Rakshabandhan is celebrated in India since vedic period.
- In Mughal era, Rajput women has made a very wonderful relation of Rakhi brother, by tying a Raksha sutra to a man who will promise to protect her in the time of crisis. Queen Karnawati of Udaypur had sent a Rakhi as a brother to Humayun to protect her from the Bahadur Shah of Gujrat.
Social Significance
- In South India, this festival is celebrated in month of Kartik
- Rakhi is also known as “Narali Pournima”
- Rakhi Pournima has special importance in the state of Kashmir. According to mythology it is celebrated with worship (shodshopchar poojan) of lorn Amarnath.
- Now a day Rakshabandan signifies importance of protecting mutual affection, relationship, love and brotherhood .
- This Bandhan or Raksha sutra inculcates strength, patience and courage in us that helps us in dealing with the adverse conditions.