Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day in the month
of Shravan. Around this time, the fury of the monsoon abates and the seas become calmer.
At the same time, Narali Purnima or coconut day is also celebrated in Maharashtra where
the fisherfolk offer coconuts, flowers and sweets to Lord Vishnu, before they venture out
into the sea once again to catch fish after the monsoons.
The festival of Raksha Bandhan also honours the love between a brother and sister. This is
an extremely emotional and sentimental time, when the sister affirms her love for her
brother and her brother promises to protect her and keep her safe. The sister ties a
rakhi, a silk thread that may be decorated with ornaments on her brother's wrist. This
small token ( rakhi ) protects the bearer from all harm and evil luck. The sister also
performs an arti and applies a teeka on her brother's forehead. She gives him some sweets
or mithai to eat. In return for this the brother pledges to protect her and also offers
her a small gift in the form of cash or otherwise.
There is a great ancient story, which crossed all religious barriers. Long ago, the Queen
of Chittor, who was then a widow, sent a rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun. She was
seeking for protection from him not only for herself but also her kingdom. Respecting the
Rakhi and accepting responsibility, the Emperor at once sent his forces and armed troops
to the queen for her and her kingdom's protection.
Raksha Bandhan is an extremely colourful festival. Many days before the festival, all the
preparations begin. We can see colourful rakhis displaying all their splendid colours
hanging in shop windows. All over in schools and other handicraft classes, children are
being taught to be creative and make their own rakhis. Small plates used for aartis are
also prepared and sold at various places.
