Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. This year it falls on august 24th, 2010. The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents sweets to her brother. The brother and sister traditionally feed one another a variety of sweets. It is not necessary that the rakhi be given only to a blood brother; any male can be “adopted” as a brother by tying a rakhi on the person, that is “blood brothers and sisters”, whether they are cousins or a good friend. Indian history is full of such wonderful stories where the women had asked for protection, through rakhi, from men who were neither their brothers, nor Hindus themselves.
Rakhi / Raksha Bandhan – Festival in India
Different ways of celebrating Raksha Bandhan
While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated all over the country, different parts of the country mark the day in different ways. These celebrations happen to fall on the same day, and may not have anything to do with Raksha Bandhan itself or Rakhi. Rakhi is celebrated as Rakhi Purnima in North and South India. It is also celebrated as Grahma Purnima in Orissa. On this date all the domesticated Cows and Bullocks are decorated and worshipped. In western India and parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa day is celebrated as Nariyal Purnima. On this day an offering of a coconu is made to the sea, as a mark of respect to Lord Varuna, the God of the Sea. The people of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand celebrate Raksha Bandhan and Janopunyu on the Shravani Purnima. It is a day on which people change the janeu
