Raksha Bandhan: Bond of Protection

Relationships and the feeling of closeness is the soul of any festivities and what other country can better explain this than India? India is the best example of how relationships are maintained traditionally, and how every relationship is celebrated with a great joy. Every festival celebrated in India brings all the family members under one roof to rejoice the festival together. Raksha Bandhan is one of the festivals celebrated in India since about 6000 years ago when Aryans created first civilization. It is a festival celebrated for the strong bond between brother and sister. Raksha meaning protection and Bandhan means bond, putting together “Bond of Protection”. Raksha Bandhan falls on Shravan Purnima which usually comes in the month of August. On this day, sister ties a sacred thread called Rakhi on brother’s wrist at the same time praying for his happiness, well being and success and brother promises to protect his sister from every troubles and harm. It is not only observed by the blood related siblings, it is also celebrated by the brothers and sisters who may not be related to each other in anyways, yet would consider this relation between them.

There is some historical evidence of Raksha Bandhan being celebrated in India.

Rani Karnawati and Emperor Humanyun

The most significant evidence of Raksha Bandhan in Indian history goes back to the time of Rani Karnawati and Emperor Humayun. During the medieval era when Rajputs were fighting Muslim invasions, Rani Karnawati was a widowed queen of the King of Chittor who had no way to defend the invasion of Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah. She than sent a Rakhi which meant a “spiritual binding and protection of sisters” to Emperor Humayun. Emperor was touched by the gesture and started off with his troops to protect his sister without wasting any time.

Alexander The Great and King Puru

The oldest reference to the celebration of Raksha Bandhan goes back to 300 B.C. when Alexander invaded India. It is said that the great conqueror, King Alexander of Macedonia was shaken by the rage of the Indian King Puru in his first attempt. Looking at this, Alexander’s wife who had heard about the significance of the bond between brother and sister celebrated with the festival of Rakhi, approached King Puru. King accepted her as his sister and during the war when the opportunity came, he refrained from King Alexander.

Every festival in India has somehow a religious significance which is usually related to one of the Gods.

Lord Krishna and Draupathi

During the war with King Shishupal, Lord Krishna was hurt and left with bleeding finger. Seeing this, Draupathi torn a strip of cloth from her sari and tied around Krishna’s wrist to stop the bleeding. Realizing her affections and concern about him, Lord Krishna considered himself bounded by her sisterly love. He promised her to repay this debt whenever she needed in the future. Many years later, the time came when Draupathi was in the trouble and did needed her brother’s help. It was the time around Mahabharat, when Pandavas lost Draupathi in the game of dice and Kauravas were removing her saari, Lord Krishna than came and helped her divinely elongating the saari so that it becomes impossible for Kauravas to remove her saari.

King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi

The king of demon, Mahabali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and because of his great devotion, Lord Vishnu decided to protect Bali’s kingdom for which he left his home in Vikundam. Seeing this, Goddess Lakshmi, wife of Lord Vishnu was not happy as she was left at Vikundam without her husband. Goddess Lakshmi went to King Bali and talked to him as a Brahmin woman and took refuge in his place. On Shravan Purnima, she tied Rakhi on King Bali’s wrist and that’s when she revealed herself and her reason for being there. The King was touched by her and Lord Vishnu’s good will and affection towards him and his family. King Bali requested Lord Vishnu to accompany Goddess Lakshmi back to Vaikundam. This is why the festival is also known as Baleva as Bali Raja’s devotion to Lord Vishnu. It is also said that since that day, it has become a tradition to invite sisters on Sravan Purnima to tie the sacred thread called Rakhi to her brothers.

Border Security Force and Girls of India


Due to the fact that the meaning of Raksha Bandhan is “Bond of Protection,” who else would be the greater protector than our Border Security Force who guards our border 24/7 so that we can sleep peacefully. Girls and women from the surrounding area goes to the border of the country on the day of Raksha Bandhan and ties the sacred thread on every soldiers of India praying for their good will and success and as we know our fearless and brave Indian soldiers have always been protecting us from our enemies.

Raksha Bandhan is one of many traditional festivals celebrated by India. I personally believe among all the relationships, the one that a brother and a sister shares are very different and cannot be compared to any other, due to the fact that a brother and sister in any family are the one from the same generation, who can understand each other’s feelings the most. A brother can always count on his sister and vice versa. When you need your sibling they are always there, no matter if it’s to laugh, to cry or just to be there.

I would like to thank God for giving me a naughty, funny yet the most understanding and mature brother, who I always seek for any advice and who ask me for any guidance.

Happy Raksha Bandhan!