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Essay on 'Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi'

 

Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi

'Raksha Bandhan' is a famous festival of Hindus. It is also called the festival of 'Rakhi'. It falls on Purnima or full moon day in the month of Shravan according to Hindu Calendar. It is celebrated across all over India.

'Raksha' means protection and 'Bandhan' means bound. Thus 'Raksha Bandhan' means the 'Bond of Protection'. On this day, Sisters tie a special band on their brothers' wrist as a mark of affection. This thread is called the 'Rakhi'. The brothers in return takes a lifelong vow to protect their sisters. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, brothers and sisters reaffirm their pious bonds of affection.

Raksha Bandhan is usually celebrated in the month of August and, as per the Hindu calendar, in the month of Sawan. During the festival, sisters tie a thread or Rakhi to their brothers, promising that the brother shall be their protector for life. It is rightly said that a brother-sister relationship is precious. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated by all, irrespective of age or marital status.

Essay on 'Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi'

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival celebrated during the Sawan month or the month of August. This is a holy occasion for commemorating the bonding between brothers and sisters. On this day, the sisters tie a thread or a rakhi to their brothers’ wrists to symbolise their bond. In return, the brothers promise that they shall be the protectors of their sisters for their entire life and give a return gift. They both give sweets to each other, and the sisters pray for their brother’s long life and protection. This festival symbolises faith and eternal love between a brother and sister.

In our lifetime, we maintain many relationships, but the bonding between a brother and sister is precious. They may fight every other day; they might not even share a piece of chocolate, but their bond is beyond anything else. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated as a festival of peace and harmony. On this day, the sisters tie a thread or a bracelet to their brothers and the brothers, in return, promise to be their sisters’ protectors for their entire life.

The Rakhi or the thread is a pious symbol of being someone’s protector. In 1905, during the partition of Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore used this occasion to signify the centuries old bond between the Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. It is not only celebrated between brothers and sisters, but as per Hindu mythology, Sachi, wife of Lord Indra, also tied a bracelet to protect her husband from all evils.

Raksha Bandhan is also known as Rakhi Purnima which is a Hindu festival celebrated between brothers and sisters. On this day, all the sisters tie a sacred bracelet or the Rakhi on their brothers’ wrists as a symbol of protection from all evils. The brothers, in return, promise their sisters to be their protectors for their entire life and give a return gift. Rakhi is considered to be the symbol of love and unity as per Hindu mythology. In ancient times, it was not celebrated between the siblings; in fact, the festival was celebrated between the husbands and wives.

This festival started from the story of Lord Indra and his wife Sachi, who tied Rakhi to save her husband from the evil king Bali. in ancient times, it was celebrated between the couples. Still, with time, it extended to the siblings, where the brothers shall protect the sisters from all evil, and equally, the sisters shall protect their brothers from all evils. Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated in other countries like Nepal, UAE, Mauritius, etc. Different people celebrate the festival in different ways as per their wishes. Some people wear new clothes and prepare different dishes as part of the celebration of the occasion.

Raksha Bandhan is a festival of Hindus which is celebrated to show love and unity. This festival is celebrated in the Sawan month as per the lunar calendar, and on the full moon day; therefore, it is also called Rakhi Purnima. On this auspicious day, brothers promise to safeguard their sisters from all evils. Even cousins and brothers who promise to look after their sisters by heart can say it out loud. The sisters worship their brothers and then tie a thread or Rakhi around their wrists to strengthen the promise, receiving a gift from their brothers in exchange.

The Rakhi was celebrated between husbands and wives in ancient times, which has now extended to brothers and sisters. It started with Sachi, wife of Lord Indra, who tied Rakhi to her husband to protect him from the evil king Bali. So all the wives used to tie the Rakhi on this auspicious day to their husbands. But, later on, this festival began to be celebrated between brothers and sisters to maintain unity and love.

During the British Raj, Rabindranath Tagore also took the help of Rakhi to stop the partition of Bengal and promote friendship and unity. This festival is celebrated by the Hindus and the people of different communities in India. People of Nepal, UAE, Mauritius, etc. also celebrate this festival with a lot of dedication and respect. Depending on the region, this festival has been named differently. It is called Avani Avatar in South India and also called Kajari Purnima in some areas.

Raksha Bandhan – A Time for Pampering

Raksha Bandhan is a time for the ladies to pamper themselves. They also receive a lot of love and pampering from their brothers. Since it is time for family gatherings the ladies especially want to look their best. Ethnic clothing is preferred by most as it adds to the fervour of the Hindu festivals. The markets are filled with beautiful kurtis, suits and other ethic wear. Women are seen hoping from shop to shop to buy a piece that matches their taste. They also go on to purchase matching accessories and footwear.

On the day of the festival, girls take a good amount of time dressing up. Besides the dress and accessories, they also go for special hair-dos to look different on this day. Their brothers also pamper them by showering their love and blessings and also by giving gifts.

Raksha Bandhan: Historical References

Several folklores have been presented on how this festival came into being and the significance it held for various famous personalities. Here are some of the historical references of the festival:

Alexander the Great

It is said that when Alexamder invaded India, his wife was extremely anxious about his well-being. She sent a sacred thread to Porus, requesting him not to harm Alexander. Keeping with the tradition, Porus refrained from attacking Alexander during the battle. He respected the Rakhi sent by Roxana. This event dates back 326 BCE.

Rani Karnavati

The legend of Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun also emphasises the significance of this sacred ritual. It is said that Rani Karnavati of Chittor, who was a widowed queen, asked for Emperor Humayun’s help by sending him Rakhi. She did so when she realised that she could not save her kingdom from Bahadur Shah all by herself. Humayun respected the rakhi and sent his troops to fight against all odds and save Chittor.

Choosing the Right Gift for Raksha Bandhan

The market is flooded with a variety of gifts around this time. From clothes to footwear to accessories to home décor items– there is so much variety in each of these that it becomes difficult to pick one among these. The brothers often seem confused on what to gift to their sisters as it is a difficult choice to make. They often roam around the market looking for that perfect gift for their sisters to light a smile on their face. Choosing the right gift is indeed a big task during this festival.

So it is not just the ladies who visit the market and shop endlessly during the time men also invest a good amount of time looking for gifts for their beloved sisters.

Another Festival That Celebrates Brother Sister Bond

Just like Raksha Bandhan, Bhai Duj is another festival that is celebrated to strengthen and rejoice the brother sister bond. The sisters apply tilak on their brothers’ forehead on this day and pray for their well being. The brothers pledge to be by their sisters’ side at all times. They exchange sweets and the brothers present their sisters with gifts. People dress up in ethnic wear to add to the spirit of the festival. It is not just a time to bond with ones brothers and sisters but also with other family members.

Conclusion

Raksha Bandhan is known by different names in different parts of the country however the essence of the festival remains the same and that is to celebrate the sacred brother-sister bond.

'Acharya Ramchandra Shukla' was born in 1884 in a village named Agona in Basti district, Uttar Pradesh, India. His father Pt. Chandrawali Shukla was a Sarayuparin Brahmin. He was a supervisor Kanungo and biased of Urdu. Shuklji had studied till the Intermediate. After this, he did the job. Then he left the job and became a teacher. He started writing in Hindi from his student life. Impressed by Shuklaji's ability, Nagari Pracharini Sabha, Kashi called him to work in the Hindi literature. Shuklaji was appointed Hindi teacher in Hindu University and later became the Head of Hindi Department. He died in 1941 AD. Following are the major compositions of Acharya Ramchandra Shukla- 'Charan Vinod', 'Radhakrishna Das', 'Chintamani Triveni', 'Surdas', 'Ras Mimamsa', 'History of Hindi literature' etc. He edited 'Bhramar Geetasar', 'Bharatendu Sahitya', 'Tulsi Granthavali' and 'Jayasi Granthavali'. The talent of Acharya Ramchandra Shukla Ji was multi-faceted. He was a great essayist, critic and thinker. He is considered the first basic critic of Hindi. His history of Hindi literature is considered to be superior in history. Acharya Ramchandra Shukla was the pride of Hindi. Full name of 'Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam' was 'Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam'. He was born on October 15, 1931 at Dhanushkothi in the temple town Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu. He was born in a poor family, but he was an exceptionally brilliant child. Kalam passed the B.Sc. examination from Saint Joseph College, Thiruchirapalli. He joined Madras Institute of Technology (MIT). His further knowledge in the field got upgraded when he joined Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in 1958 and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1963. He is known as the Missile Man of India. The various Indian Missiles of world order like Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Agni, etc. are mainly the result of his efforts and caliber. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam became the 11th President of India. He served the country from 2002 to 2007. For his excellence and brilliance, he was awarded the prestigious Bharat Ratna in 1998; Padma Vibhushan in 1990; and Padma Bhushan in 1981. Dr Kalam expired on Monday 27 July 2015. He suddenly fell unconscious when he was delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management at Shillong. On 30 July 2015, the former President was laid to rest at Rameswaram's Pei Karumbu Ground with full state honours. Over 350,000 people attended the last rites, including the Prime Minister, the governor of Tamil Nadu and the chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was mainly interested in work. He was a bachelor. He was not interested in going abroad. He wanted to serve his motherland first. He said that he thinks his first and foremost duty is to serve his motherland. He was fond of music and the Koran and the Gita. Ever since becoming the head of the Indian State, he had been having interaction with children all over the country. He was by no means a miracle man. His advice to the youngster of the nation was to "dream dream and convert these into thoughts and later into actions".
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