Today
August 20th, is Raskha Bundhun
(knot of protection) – a festival celebrated across the whole of India and
better known as Rakhi.
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| © Rebecca Delekta |
On
this auspicious day, sisters tie a red thread bracelet (a rakhi) onto their
brother’s right wrist as a symbol of the bond between siblings. Traditional belief follows that the tying of
the rakhi will offer protection and good luck the brother, while also reminding
him of his vow to protect his sister from all that is evil. The historical roots of Raskha Bundhun stem back to the times when India was ruled by
kings. Folklore has it that a queen of a
Hindu empire offered a rakhi to the ruler of the Mughals as a peace offering
and symbol of friendship.
In
modern India, Rakhi continues to be celebrated each year during the Hindu month
of Shravan. Weeks before the festival,
handmade rakhis numbering the tens of millions flood the streets of India’s
cities. Rajasthani families who are well
known for owning radiantly colorful little knick-knack shops always maintain
the most elaborate displays of rakhis.
Last Rakhi, I remember walking down a street in Koramangala and being
drawn to the vibrant presentation of rakhi bracelets that had spilled out of a
Rajasthani store and onto the sidewalk.
A makeshift display board with bracelets dangling hung from a large
tree, and tables full of rakhis lined the entrance. All of it so carefully placed out so passersby
could quickly buy a bracelet and perhaps be lured to into the colorful and
warmly lit store downstairs.
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| © Rebecca Delekta |
While
the sisters are responsible for procuring the rakhi and to also provide her
brother with sweets, it is customary for brothers to show their dedication to
their promise of protection by giving gifts to their sisters. Sanjeev told me that when he was little, he used
to joke with his four sisters that Raksha
Bundhun was intended to be about the bond of siblings, but is instead just
another festival that grants permission for sisters to loot their brothers for
gifts. Sanjeev and his sisters still
maintain their traditional celebration, and over the past week, packages have
come from Delhi and Gujarat filled with soan
papdi sweets and greeting cards, each one containing a unique rakhi
bracelet inside. Like the year before, I
taped each card and its bracelet to the refrigerator. Last night we were informed that the package
to Delhi containing the salwar suit
materials for three of his sisters arrived, each one delighted with our choice
of design. In Gujarat, Renu was also
pleased with the gift and money for the tailor.
At nine a.m. this morning, after two hours of sleep, Sanjeev is already
on the phone with his sisters wishing each one a happy Rakhi. I wake up to his voice, and find him in the
kitchen amongst the cards performing a modified version of the Rakhi ritual in
his sisters’ absence. He takes his
shower, dresses, and ties all four Rakhis on his wrist. I cut off the loose ends while he mixes a
tiny rice pack with a pinch of vermillion powder to create the auspicious tilak on his forehead.
I
have witnessed the celebration of Raskha
Bundhun in Bangalore three times in the last four years. Although the nonexistence of my own brother
requires me to only observe Rakhi rituals from the sidelines, Rakhi remains to
be one of most interesting, fun, and light-hearted Hindu festivals simply
because it is another day that joyously celebrates life and the bonds of
family.
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