Raksha Bandhan means “the tie or knot of protection”. It is an ancient Hindu festival celebrating the love and duty between brothers and their sisters.On the day of Rakshbandhan sisters perform Rakhi ceremony, then prays to express her love and her wish for the well being of her brother wherein brothers pledge to protect and take care of sisters under all circumstances. The festival is also popularly used to celebrate any brother-sister relationship between men and women who are relatives or biologically unrelated. A common example is quoted of Rani Karnavati sent a Rakhi to Humayun, asking for help against Bahadur Shah of Gujrat. In epic Mahbharat Draupadi tied Rakhi to Lord Krishna and Mata Kunti tied Rakhi to Abhumanyu her grandson. Rakhi festival is beyond relations, religion, casts etc.
Rakhi festival is observed in the Hindu calendar Poornima in the month of Sravan, which falls in August every year. Nowadays Myths have been added with this ancient festivals as to when the ceremony is to be done on the poornima day.
When I got up in the morning and switched on TV set today on the Rakhi day many so called astrologers converted saints were delivering lectures on various news channels on Rakshabandhan rituals and Muhurat. They were advising as to which is good Muhurat for tying Rakhi for different Zodiac signs. Which sweets and gifts would be given for different zodiac signs. I have devised a simple phrase which I have dedicated to all such astrologers.
Common man minus common sense = Astrologer.
It is not surprising to me as these astrologers calculate Muhurat for Pujas and now they have advising the muhurats to express love amongst brothers and sisters. What heavens are going to fall if sister ties rakhi at 1PM and not at 2PM? beyond imagination. For these astrologers even if Goddess Laxmi will come on Diwali day they will tell her to stay outside till he calculates A Good Muhurat fro her entry into his house. All days are the same to express gratitude and love in all the 365 days of the year. Whenever a sister is in trouble she can ask for help to her brother and that is our Hindu tradition which includes everyone living on this pious land of Bharat. No special ritual, no special thread nothing is required these are just symbolic.
Umang Taneja 