Raksha Bandhan – UdaipurBlog

Experiencing joys and sorrows together, sharing enormous laughters and wiping tears, cute chit-chats and endless pillow-fights, sense of togetherness and the never-ending complaints! All these sweet and tangy tastes of emotions can be found in the most beautiful relation, yes, none other than the brother-sister relation! These colorful shades of memories of brother-sister relation becomes worth cherishing even more while tying the sacred knot of rakhi on the auspicious day of Raksha Bandhan every year.

After the beautiful green monsoon season, rakhi that falls on shravan purnima, brings with it the colorful “season of festivals”. There are several interesting historical evidences as well as mythological descriptions mingled up with this festival that reminds us of its significance. The most popular historical narrative is about Rani Karnavati of Chittor who sent a rakhi to the mughal emperor, humayun, after which he fought against Bahadur Shah Zafar and restored the kingdom to rani’s son. Raksha bandhan is mentioned in our epics as festival of gods. Yamuna used to tie rakhi to his brother yama (god of death), impressed by which he declared that whoever got a rakhi tied would become immortal! Another incidence from the epic Mahabharata concerns draupadi who once tied a torn piece of her saari to lord Krishna’s wrist to stanch the bleeding from a battlefield wound. Krishna got so much touched by her action that he declared her to be his sister and always protected her.

Almost one month before the commencement of rakhi, the market gets laded up with fancy, attractive and colorful rakhis of different shapes and sizes. Almost every shop in Udaipur, be it sweet shops, garment shops, gift shops, or any other shop, all are flooded with attractive rakhi gifts. Ladies shop for new clothes and beautiful rakhi gifts specially the one that has to be sent to their brothers staying far. Family gatherings, celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing and dancing!!! Festivals are the celebration of togetherness as being as a united family and like any Indian festival, raksha bandhan is not an exception. On the day of Rakhi, sisters decorate the beautiful pooja thali with diya, roli, chawal, rakhi thread and sweets. She bestows her brother with gifts and blessings while carrying out the rituals. In return, brothers wish her a good life and pledges to take care of her lifelong.

Raksha bandhan goes beyond the confines of blood and familial relations. The tradition encourages celebrating the sacred festival of rakhi with the neighbors and close friends; thus allowing a strong social structure. Though it is a festival denoting National sentiments of harmony, raksha bandhan is the most special festival for all the siblings.

We brothers and sisters share the most beautiful, divine and undying relation of all. One can see us flipping out on each other like mads and then having a blast together, the very next moment. It’s so cool making fun of others together and in next to no time, realizing that you yourself have become a joke by the other. You annoy, interfere, criticize, and indulge in mammoth huffs, gasps, in sulks, in snide remarks. You borrow, you break. You monopolize the bathroom. But, but, but! If catastrophe should strike, you are the ones defending each other against all comers. You share childhood memories and grown-up dreams. You are the ones who are there with each other from the dawn of the personal stories to the inevitable dusk. You are the mirror, shining back at each other with a world of possibilities. The witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. You are each other’s partner in sweet crimes, the midnight companions, pillow fighters, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. No, we haven’t gone diverted from the topic of raksha bandhan at all. Actually, Raksha bandhan is that special sentimental festival that salutes this sweet and sour relation and gives us a chance to treasure a day memorizing all the childhood days and discover the deep affections in heart for our siblings and all the kinfolk we love.

So, Udaipies, don’t miss the chance to make your siblings feel special on this special day. Something that I personally would like to devote to my sweet younger brother is as- “I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God elude me. I sought my brother and I found all three.” Have a bash, Udaipies! Happy Raksha Bandhan! 😀

This full moon day our hearts are in brim
Feeling of faith and serenity in mind.
We light the lamps and our hears glow
Radiance of happiness and peace are in flow.
Harmonious homes are like streams of joy
Flowing and flourishing the landscape en route.
Nobility in heart and character in deed
Righteous homes alone make a beautiful State.
Sisters will tie the thread on the brothers
Abiding them to do only what is right and clean.
Put the Kumkum and blessed rice on the head
Where will dwell right thoughts and noble action.

– APJ Abdul Kalam

Photos by : Yash Sharma, Dimpy Chundawat

Life blesses us with many relations – parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins and friends… But there is one beautiful relation in which you can find a lifetime friend, an all time enemy, a secret sharer, a counselor and a best care-taker; yes only a brother-sister relation can carry so many pearls of different shades tied together in a strong string of love and care.

And today is the day dedicated to this sweet n sour relation – RAKHI; a day to strengthen the bond shared between brother and sister while tying the knots of a thread round the wrist. Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi falls on the full moon day of the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar. Many mythological tales are narrated about how this tradition of tying Rakhi around the wrist of brothers started, the most famous of all being the story of Rani Karnawati, the widowed queen of emperor of Chittor, who sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun asking him safeguard her husband’s empire from Bahadur Shah. The responsibility behind the thread meant so much that Humayun fought with Bahadur Shah even after Rani Karnawati committed Jauhar and handed over the kingdom to Rani’s son.

Every year the festival returns so that we can relive the memories of our childhood with our siblings. The memories attached with this relation, though different for every person, yet carry the same essence of bonding and love. You will find the same cutest smile decorating your face everytime while narrating those craziest fights, those memorable Rakhis, those countless stories of play and fun you had in kindergarten and childhood; aren’t they the most priceless memories..??

It’s amazing how a person who fights with you on every silliest of thing will think of hundreds of excuses to save you from scolding of Dad; the one who never gets tired of teasing you can go wild with anger when someone else says a word against you. While threatening each other to reveal their secrets, we never know when we start sharing the details of our every minute, our secrets and our deepest fears with each other and then we become the best friends for life. There can be no one else who could know your each and every like and dislike, who could understand your wishes and dreams, and who could make all efforts to make you smile in between the tears.

So today go back to those golden days filled with those golden memories and relive those fights and fun with your siblings. Let your childhood take over your present. And while tying Rakhi, let’s promise each other silently that “No matter how many miles and countries come in between us, I will always be the first one to share your smile and your tears.”