‘Bond of Protection’ intensifies bond of affection between siblings
RAKSHA Bandhan will be celebrated on Sunday, August 26.
The term means “bond of protection” and the festival intensifies the bond of affection between brothers and sisters and maintains this emotional relationship.
The festival usually falls in August, on the full moon day of the lunar month of Sawan. Raksha Bandhan popularly celebrates all brother-sister relationships of males and females who are related biologically or otherwise.
It celebrates the love and duty between brothers and sisters.
On this day a sister ties a sacred thread called rakhi on her brother’s wrist, symbolising her love and prayers for him, and the brother, in turn, vows to protect her lifelong and remain committed to doing his duty as a brother.
The ceremony of tying
Rakhi broadens the thoughts and strengthens love beyond the borders of family, religion, ethnicity and nation.
People can tie Rakhi to neighbours and promote the feeling of unity and mutual commitment of social life.
The significance:
The festival has far-reaching importance in today’s scenario. It invokes love, care and respect, and emphasises the need for peaceful co-existence across boundaries. It conveys the message of universal brotherhood and sisterhood as well as the need for purity of mind and deeds, making space for the Vedic concept vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world as one family).
According to scriptures , when Lord Krishna hurt his hand, Draupadi tore a piece of her sari and tied it to the wrist of Krishna.
He said he would always protect her and she would enjoy boundless benefits. This was seen when Lord Krishna protected her by supplying an infinite amount of cloth when it was needed most.
Astrological advice is that the following should be done:
Before the ritual tie the first rakhi to Lord Krishna or lay it at his feet and leave it there until the next spiritual event.
The brother should sit on a stool and face east. The sister should then apply tilak and a few grains of rice to his forehead with a ring finger.
Thereafter she should tie a rakhi to the right wrist of her brother, pray and express her wish for his well-being. He, in turn, pledges to take care of his sister lifelong.
A whole coconut is given to the brother and the sister feeds him a sweet dish – with a pinch of jagger.
The sister rotates an aarti (a tray with lit lamp) around her brother’s face.
On the aarti tray put a tiny lota of water, with a few strands of grass. After completing the aarti, sprinkle this water on the right and left sides of his shoulders to ward off evil eyes.
The younger of the two should touch the feet of the elder and then they should hug.
The brother must give a gift or money as a token of appreciation to his sister at the end.
Always have rakhis tied in even numbers.
Chant the Hare Krishna or Gayatri mantra – or Om Namah Shivaya.
This is one of two days in the year dedicated to brother and sister festivals. The other falls two days after Diwali and is called Bhai Dooj,where the brother goes to the sister’s house to celebrate, unlike on Raksha Bandhan, when the sister goes to the brother’s house.
People of other faiths also celebrate this day as a way to improve emotional bonds between sister and brother. Astrologically, a sister’s sincere prayers for her brother can help him to prosper.
Please note that the most auspicious Raksha Bandhan thread ceremony time is 6.30am to 1.55pm.
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