Raksha Bandhan 2020: Here's why we celebrate this festival
New Delhi : Indian festivals are celebrated with much pomp and splendour and one such festival is Raksha Bandhan. The name Raksha Bandhan literally means to tie a knot of protection. This festival is all about a brother-sister relationship. It signifies the bond between a brother and a sister and it holds a lot of importance in the Hindu culture. On this day every sister ties a thread known as rakhi on her brother's wrist as a sign of love and respect and the brother gives his sister a gift and promises care and protection. It is celebrated in the Shravan month on the first full moon day.
It is believed that this tradition was started during the time of Mahabharata. Once when Lord Krishna was flying a kite, he cut his finger and started bleeding and Princess Draupadi tore a piece of fabric from the clothes that she was wearing and tied it on Lord Krishna's hand. Upon seeing this Lord Krishna got emotional and promised to support and protect her throughout her life. In another story, it is said that Lord Krishna was using his Sudarshan chakra against King Shishupala when he injured his finger and Draupadi came to his rescue. Another mythological story claims that King Bali who was the king of demons worshipped Lord Vishnu and asked him to stay with him in his kingdom. Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu's wife felt uncomfortable with this and tied a rakhi on the wrist of King Bali and when he asked her to make a wish, she asked him to send her husband back without any conditions. King Bali agreed out of respect for the brother-sister relationship between them and for the holy thread that created the bond.
There are numerous other stories as to why this festival is celebrated but irrespective this is one of the most important festivals for every brother and sister. In today's time, there are numerous types of rakhis available in the market. From traditional rakhis with Rudraksha's to quirky and trendy rakhi's with superheroes and interesting quirky terms like swag bro or bhukkad bro written on it are available in the market. All the sisters flood the local markets to find the perfect rakhi for their brothers.
