Raksha Bandhan 2017: A Thread Signifying Protection

Raksha Bandhan will be observed on the full moon day, i.e. Purnima, in the Hindu month of Shravana. According to the Gregorian Calendar, it will be celebrated on 7th of August in 2017. It is celebrated in every region of India. This festival is also known as Rakhi Purnima, Rakhi or Rakhri. To know more, read on this article only on AstroSage..

What Is Raksha Bandhan?

Raksha Bandhan is considered to be one of the most important Hindu festivals.

A brother is supposed to be a stronger counterpart to his sister. When it comes to protection, the sister freely finds a safe refuge with her brother. This unique bond between a brother and a sister calls for the celebration of Raksha Bandhan.

Rakhi is an awaited festival that is expected to bring more spark in the relation between brother and sister.

Relationships have always been the essence of any festivity. And, Raksha Bandhan brings along a similar carnival.

A festive celebration brings the family together and initiates a feeling of togetherness. Raksha Bandhan is one such festival. Raksha Bandhan brings the belonging of brotherhood between a brother and his sister.

How To Celebrate Raksha Bandhan?

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the day of Rakhi Purnima. It is celebrated to strengthen the bond between brothers and sisters.

• Raksha Bandhan in 2017: August 7, 2017
• Raksha Bandhan in 2018 : August 26, 2018
• Observances: Celebration of the bond between a brother and sister.
• Type of holiday: Religious Holiday

On the day of the Rakhi festival, also called Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers and pray for their well-being. In response, the brother pledges to protect his sister from troublesome situations and be by her side. The brother also gifts his sister in a merriment approach on Raksha Bandhan.

Amidst all the jolly moments or Raksha Bandhan, rituals are also performed with utmost care. The rituals of the Rakshabandhan take place on Shravana Purnima, also known as Rakhi Purnima. The family members take bath early in the morning and get ready as the customs proceed. This process purifies the soul and the body.

The Rakhi Thali embodies all the elements required in the ritual. Sisters prepare the Rakhi Thali that consists of Roli, Tilak, Rakhi, grains, rice, incense sticks and sweets. The Rakhi Thali is used to perform Aarti for the brothers on Raksha Bandhan.

After performing the rituals for the family, sisters put Tilak on the brother's' forehead and perform Aarti proceedings. The rituals and proceedings take place amidst the mantra chanting:

Meaning:The Sun invokes sunlight and the radish spreads seeds; a sister ties Rakhi on a brother's wrist and wishes he lives long.

Then, she ties the Rakhi on her brother's wrist. The mantra is chanted:

Meaning: I am tying you the Rakhi that had been tied to King Bali and I believe you will always keep your responsibility to protect me.

After the proceedings get over, the sisters are gifted by their brothers, which is a sweet token of being pampered.

Although, the prime theme of Raksha Bandhan ceremony is the same, but may differ from place to place.

Bengalis celebrate the festival of Rakhi as Jhulan Purnima. Whereas, in Kumaon region, Raksha Bandhan is termed as Hanyo Punyo. Even if we talk about places like Bihar or Nepal, the rituals tend to differ a bit. Be it any part of the country or even southeast nations, Raksha Bandhan carries the same essence. It symbolizes the pure bond between two people where one is the protector and the other seeks a refuge of console and confidence in him.

Raksha Bandhan is the combination of two words, Raksha and Bandhan. Raksha means protection and Bandhan means bond. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie silk thread known as Rakhi, on their brothers' wrists and the brothers assure them to protect from all kinds of trouble. The brother's oath of protection is acknowledged by the sisters, who pray for their well-being.

Raksha Bandhan is also known as Rakhi, owing to the silk thread with the same name. Rakhi falls on the full moon day of Shravana month when the sacred bond between brothers and sisters is celebrated.

Now, let's take a look at the auspicious timings to celebrate and observe the ceremonial festivity of Rakhi Purnima in 2017.

In 2017, Raksha Bandhan ceremony time is from 05:55:48 to 17:27:57. The best time to tie a Rakhi is considered to be during the Aparahana period. Apaharana period on Raakhi 2017 will begin at 13:40:16 to 16:15:05.

Raksha Bandhan 2017 is approaching. In this article, we will be discussing how to celebrate Raksha Bandhan in 2017 and why is it celebrated.

What Is Rakhi?

Rakhi in 2017 is approaching. Before proceeding forward, let's take a look at the significance of Rakhi. What does really a Rakhi mean?

A Rakhi is a thread made of silk that symbolizes affection, love, care and above all, protection. Rakhi can be easily referred as a symbol of protection. A sister ties the Rakhi thread on her brother's wrist on Rakshabandhan and expects the assurance of safety and protection from him.

While earlier, a Rakhi was nothing more than a silk thread or 'Resham Ki Dori' signifying the sweet love between a brother and a sister, now it has evolved a long way.

From a conventional thin piece of thread, Rakhi has now got transformed into fashionable accessories. While every gadget is getting a Chinese touch, Rakhi had not been far behind.

Let's take a look at the new evolved Rakhis:

Diamond Rakhi: These Rakhis give the look of a diamond bracelet that too at a very low cost.

Metal Rakhi: These Rakhis give the essence of metal artefacts.

Lachha Rakhi: These Rakhis are in approaching fashion that brings the feel of spirituality. Lachha Raakhi is embedded with Rudraksh and therefore, is the most demanded category.

Cartoon Shaped Rakhi: These Rakhis are widely popular among children. A cartoon shaped Rakhi is designed with different cartoon characters that appeals largely to the younger age groups.

Due to the incoming of newly evolved trend, it is really hard to find the conventional �Resham Ki Dori' or silk thread Rakhi in the market. But, the relationship between a brother and his sister has barely changed due to this contemporary effect.

We have talked about Rakhi and its importance in Raksha Bandhan. But, what is the history behind the celebration of Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi festival? Let's examine the historical evidences behind the celebration of Rakshabandhan.

Raksha Bandhan : Legends Of Raksha Bandhan

Like any other Hindu festival, the festival of Raksha Bandhan has a few legends associated with it. Let's take a look at the following legends of Rakshabandhan:

Rakhi Between King Bali & Goddess Lakshmi

According to the ancient scripts, the mythical manufacture comes to light in the kingdom of King Bali. Although he was deprived of serenity, his piousness towards Lord Vishnu earned him special favours.

Impressed by his offered devotion, Lord Vishnu abandoned his own kingdom at Vaikuntha to guard the kingdom of King Bali. Lord Vishnu's departure led to worrying sentiments in Goddess Lakshmi, his wife.

Goddess Lakshmi decided to disguise herself as a Brahmin woman and went to King Bali to seek refuge. Her secretive persona was mainly to stay closer to Lord Vishnu, who himself was guarding Bali's kingdom in the disguised form of a gatekeeper.

The Brahmin woman's wish or request was granted with generosity. On the bright night of Shravana Purnima, Lakshmi as the Brahmin woman tied Rakhi on King Bali's wrist. She was instead gifted with Lord Vishnu in his true form once asked about her wish by the King.

This makes us believe that a royal tale can always be hearty. In the same way, the bond between a brother and a sister is unconditional and not judged by brains.

Rakhi Between Puru & Alexander's Wife

Rakshabandhan had defined its roots in the battlefield. It dates back to 326 B.C. when Rakhi signified the role of a savior. It was the time when Alexander, the great had invaded India and his contemporary was Puru.

Alexander's wife, Roshanak feared the atrocity of the impending war and decided to send a Rakhi to King Puru. The Rakhi was a modest signature that asked for the protection of her husband, Alexander. The credit goes to King Puru, as he realized the importance of a relationship that the Rakhi imposes. He prizes the special bond by not harming Alexander in the battlefield.

The incident signifies the relationship of brother and sister between two strangers.

Rakhi Between A Rajput Sister & Mughal Brother

According to a popular belief, Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Humayun, the Mughal emperor displayed another significance of the festival of Raakhi as a symbol of protection of a sister by her brother.

Rani Karnavati was a widowed Queen and was afraid of the invasion by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. Hence, she sent an urge for protection to Humayun in the form of a Rakhi. On receiving the Rakhi, Humayun commanded his troops to defend the fort of Chittor.

When Humayun's troops reached Chittor, it was too late. By then, the Queen along with other ladies of the kingship had performed the self-immolation in Jauhar. (Jauhar was a ritual which used to be performed by the Rajput women after the defeat of their husband or son in the battlefield. This practice was done to die with respect avoiding any kind of dishonor, enslavement or torture by the opposing power.)

Although Humayun was not able to defend Karnavati, his acceptance to the Queen's offer showcases his respect for the relationship. This incident holds great significance that represents the act of responsibility attached to the thread of Rakhi.

Although there are many more legends and evidences related to the festival of Raksha Bandhan, the above mentioned legends signify the relationship between a brother and a sister betterly.

Rakshabandhan is the protection (Raksha) of a sister and this responsibility is efficiently carried out by the brother. And if we consider the whole world as a single paternal home, we all will start regarding every stranger as our own family member and protect them from an impending danger. The same kinds of relationships have been described in the legends of Raksha Bandhan.

Raksha Bandhan is giving another chance to spread love. But, how Rakhi festival will be celebrated? Now, let's take a look at the celebration patterns of Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi festival.

Celebrate this Raksha Bandhan with more enthusiasm and gusto. You can send Raksha Bandhan SMS and Rakhi Wallpapers to greet your friends and relatives. This is a time when brothers greet their sisters, irrespective of being anywhere in the world. You should leave no measures turned out to pamper your sisters on Rakhi.

Don't miss the chance to send Raakhi Gifts to your sisters on the festive celebration of Rakhi Purnima. If you are a girl and feeling sad that you won't be able to reach your brother this year, don't worry. We bring you the opportunity to send online Rakhis to your brothers on Raksha bandhan.

Let this Raksha Bandhan be a ceremonial proceeding of love, affection, and protection.

AstroSage wishes all of you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan..!