Indians might not have introduced Mother’s Day or Daughter’s Day but it surely has realized the special bond between a brother and her sister. We proudly call it Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan. This is regarded as one of the most auspicious days where the sister ties an amulet or a rakhi around her brother’s wrist. This signifies the promise between the two of them that the brother will always protect the sister under any circumstances. In return, the sister prays for her brother’s well being and good fortune.
There are a number of stories recorded in the history that signifies the true meaning of Raksha Bandhan.
- One of them goes back to the time when Alexander The Great invaded India. His wife Roxana sent a rakhi to the King Porus and a promise that he would protect her and her husband. The king promised the same. Later on the battlefield, when he was about to kill Alexander, he saw the rakhi that was tied on his wrist and refrained himself from killing him.
- Another story goes when Queen Karnavati of Chittor had to defend herself against Bahadur Shah. When she had no other option left, she sent a rakhi and a letter to King Humayun who immediately came to her rescue.
- This beautiful bond doesn’t leave Indian Mythology as well. During Mahabharat, when Krishna had his finger bruised, Draupati, the wife of the pandavas torned a piece of cloth from her saree and immediately covered the wound. This incident is often regarded as the reason as to why during the cheerharan, Krishna saved her dignity.
- When Lord Vishnu won the battle against the three worlds from the demon King Bali, he was asked by him to stay in the palace. Lord Vishnu agreed to this but his wife Goddess Lakshmi wanted him to return to his place. For the same, she tied a rakhi around the wrist of King Bali and made him her brother. On asking for a gift in return by him, Goddess Lakshmi asked him to let Lord Vishnu stay at his own place. King Bali couldn’t refuse this and he let Lord Vishnu go.
There are indeed so many stories that signify the importance of this festival yet the charm of the same is gradually fading away. With more advancement in technology, people prefer to wish each other on a video call or send a fancy message. They do not realize the importance of such events.
Professional commitments at times do not permit the siblings to celebrate this day together. Yet there are some people who still celebrate the festival with specialized rakhi gifts with the same charm and happiness. It is indeed a special event for the family since it signifies the bond between the siblings which slowly are deteriorating and who knows can just be a holiday for us in the future.