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| RAKSHA
BANDHAN |
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| Significance :
Brothers Protect their
sisters from evil. |
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| Also known as
:
Avani Avittam, Upakarman |
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| Religion :
Hindu |
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| In the month
of :
August - September |
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| Raksha Bhandan is celebrated on the full-moon
day in the month of Sravana (July-August). In North India, the occasion is
popularly called Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi, the tying of an amulet. On this day,
sisters tie an amulet, the Rakhi, around the right wrist of their brothers
praying for their long life and happiness. Raksha means protection, and in some
places in medieval India, where women felt unsafe, they tied Rakhi round the
wrists of men they could count upon, regarding them as brothers. |
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| The festival of Raksha Bandhan is similar to
Karthikay in Kartika (October-November) in South India. On this day, sisters
offer food to brothers to wish them a long life. The festival is an occassion
to strengthen the bond between a brother and a sister. In South India, The
Raksha Bandhan full moon day is a household festival for the men, where the
sacred thread is ceremoniously changed |
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| Raksha Bandhan is based on
an ancient legend. The legend goes that the gods were having a war with the
demons. The god Indra got help from his wife. She tied a piece of silk around
his wrist to ward off the evil demons. With the silk around his wrist, Indra
beat back the devils and got back his home in the heavens. Today, Hindu girls
with brothers give them special bracelets woven of silk (called rakhi) on this
day. |
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The rakhi are made of red and gold thread. They
are a symbol of the bond between brothers and sisters. When the sisters give
their brothers the rakhis, they give them candy to eat as well. The brothers
give their sisters little gifts in return. |
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Narali Purnima
On the full moon day of Shravan, after one or two months of
heavy rains and strong winds, the sea becomes calm. On this day boats are
allowed to launch into the sea again. But before doing so the sea is worshipped
by throwing a coconut (“naral”) into the water. In this way Varun, the god of
the water, is worshipped. |
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The Coconut as “Prasad”
The coconut is a fruit full of symbolism. It is known as
“Shriphal”, or “divine fruit”. Within its hard shell it contains food and
drink, the two essential elements God has placed in creation for man’s
nourishment. The hard shell expresses God’s desire that man should enjoy the
fruits of the earth through personal effort.
The coconut is the most common fruit used as an offering to God. The effort
needed to break the shell represents the element of sacrifice. The kernel and
the water are first offered to God and then shared with all those present, and
also taken home to be shared with relatives and neighbours as “prasad”, or food
blessed by God. |
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