Celebrating the beautiful bond between sister and brother
Come August 18 and the north Indian community in the city will be celebrating Raksha Bandhan, a festival that marks the love between siblings. It is a day when sisters tie a sacred thread on the wrist of their brothers and pray for their long life. Here are a few interesting facts about the auspicious day.
By : migrator
Update: 2016-08-16 04:31 GMT
Chennai
Raksha Bandhan as a religious festival focuses on performing the aarthi and saying prayers prior to tying the rakhi. The prayers draw inspiration from the Hindu scriptures. The other religious feature is the application of the tilak on the forehead of the person wearing the rakhi.
According to history, when Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun. Touched, the Emperor immediately set off with his troops to defend Chittor.
Days or weeks before Raksha Bandhan, women shop for rakhi or the ceremonial thread to tie around her brother’s (or brother-like friend’s) wrist. Some women make their own rakhi.
On the morning of Raksha Bandhan the brothers and sisters get together, often in new clothes in the presence of parents, grandparents and other family members. If the sister and brother are geographically separated, the sister often sends the rakhi via mail.
Upon being tied the rakhi, the brother gives his sister gifts such as cards, clothes, money or something thoughtful.
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