RAKSHA BANDHAN

Significance : Brothers Protect their sisters from evil. Also known as : Avani Avittam, Upakarman Religion : Hindu In the month of : August - September

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.