Celebration of brotherly-sisterly love, Raksha Bandhan, tomorrow
RAKSHA Bandhan will be celebrated tomorrow.
This refers to a “bond of protection”, especially closer emotional connection, affection and caring between brothers and sisters.
Raksha Bandhan is well known for celebrating all brother-sister relationships, even if they are biologically unrelated.
The festival usually falls in August, on the full moon day of the lunar month of Sawan.
On this day, a sister ties a sacred thread called Rakhi on her brother’s wrist, symbolising her love and prayer for him.
The brother, in response, promises to always protect her and reaffirms his pledge to honour his brotherly commitments.
The ceremony of tying Rakhi broadens the thoughts and strengthens love beyond the borders of family, religion, ethnicity and nationality.
Even neighbours can do the Rakhi ritual to promote cordial living. THE festival of Raksha Bandhan has far-reaching significance in today’s world.
It invokes love, care and respect, and emphasises the need for peaceful coexistence across all boundaries. The festival conveys the message of universal brotherhood and sisterhood as well as the need purity of mind and deeds, in
He honoured his promise by giving her an infinite amount of cloth in her time of need. Ever since, brothers have been making similar pledges of devotion and duty on Raksha Bandhan day.
According to astro-advice, the following must be done:
Before the ritual, tie the first rakhi to Lord Krishna or offer it to his feet. Leave it tied until the next spiritual event.
Brother must sit on a stool and face east. The sister must apply tilak and then a few grains of rice to the forehead of her brother with her ring finger.
Thereafter, she ties rakhis on her brother’s right wrist.
The sister must pray and express her wishes of wellbeing for her brother. He then makes his lifelong pledge to her.
A whole coconut is given to the brother, and the sister also makes him eat something sweet, if possible, a pinch of jaggery at first.
The sister must rotate an aarti (a tray with lighted lamp) around her brother’s face.
A tiny lota of water must be on the aarti tray along with a few strands of grass.
Once aarti is completed, sprinkle the water on the brother’s right and left shoulder. It will ward off lurking evil.
The younger of the two should touch the feet of the elder person and then they embrace each other.
The brother must give a gift or money as a token of appreciation to his sister as soon as the aarti is finished.
Always tie an even number of rakhi strings.
It is good to chant the Hare Krishna, the Gayatri mantra (if you know the correct pronunciation of the words), or Om Namah Shivaya.
This is one of two days in the year dedicated to the celebration of brother and sister relationships. The other is Bhai Dooj, which falls two days after Diwali, where the brother, on this occasion, goes to his sister’s house, unlike Raksha Bandhan.
People of other religious faiths also celebrate this day as a way to improve bonds between sister and brother.
Astrologically, a sister’s sincere prayers for her brother could help him to prosper.
Please note the following: The most appropriate times to perform the Raksha Bandhan thread ceremony is between 7.34am and 9.17am, or between 1.06pm and 2.44pm.
Avoid tying rakhi after 5.49pm because it will be partial lunar eclipse on this day, which is happening for the first time in nine years on this religious day.
Readers can send their name and surname, religion, date, place and time of birth and the advice they require to: Mahesh Bang, Tribune Herald, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023, or e-mail tribuneherald@inl.co.za or call him at: 083 659 2277 or 031 401 8888