Greetings & Fascinating Legends Associated With Raksha Bandhan

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday greeted the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

“Best wishes to all the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan. The festival symbolizes the undying love of brother and sister,” the President wrote on X (formerly) Twitter. She also appealed to take a pledge to create a more secure environment for the women in the country.

Extending his greetings, the Vice President wrote on X, “Warm greetings on Raksha Bandhan! Raksha Bandhan embodies the beautiful bond of love that binds brothers and sisters. On this auspicious occasion, let us resolve to stand by our ‘Nari Shakti’ as they commit to take Bharat to greater glory. May this festival add to the happiness in our lives.”

Taking to X, the Prime Minister wrote, “Happy Raksha Bandhan to all my family members.This auspicious festival  dedicated to the unbreakable trust and immense love between sister and brother is a sacred reflection of our culture. I wish, this festival deepens the spirit of affection, harmony and harmony in everyone’s life.”

Also Read: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Not To Celebrate Raksha Bandhan Tomorrow

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Naveen also took to X to extend his warm wishes to the countrymen.

ପବିତ୍ର ରାକ୍ଷୀ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା ବା ଗହ୍ମା ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା ଅବସରରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଆନ୍ତରିକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ଶୁଭକାମନା ଜଣାଉଛି। ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ଅପାର କରୁଣାରୁ ଭାତୃତ୍ଵ ଓ ସଦଭାବନାର ଏହି ପବିତ୍ର ପର୍ବ ଭାଇ-ଭଉଣୀଙ୍କ ସମ୍ପର୍କକୁ ଆହୁରି ନିବିଡ଼ କରୁ। #ରାକ୍ଷୀପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା pic.twitter.com/8JOGjW24ty

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 30, 2023

The festival has a multifarious association with mythology, history and our colonial past. Here’s a collection at the legends of Rakhi from different eras:

Rakhi and the colonial past Of India

In 1905, when the Partition of Bengal divided the nation, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsavas to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and strengthen the bond of love and togetherness between Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. He also urged them to protest against the British. The partition may have divided the state, but his tradition continues in parts of West Bengal, with people tying rakhi on neighbours and close friends’ wrists.

Tagore penned the following as symbolism of Raksha Bandhan:
“Our pre-destined identity
You boast of the strength to slice across!
Are you that mighty?
Our wreck or salvage plight,
All in your hands, so you think!
Your arrogance at its height!”

Rakhi and the history of India

When Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC, his wife Roxana sent Porus, the king of the Pauravas, a sacred thread and asked him not to harm her husband on the battlefield. In the Battle of the Hydaspes, when Porus saw the rakhi on his own wrist, he restrained himself from attacking Alexander. Even though Porus lost the battle, he won Alexander’s respect and honour, who not only reinstated him as satrap (governor) of his own kingdom, but also granted him dominion over lands to the south-east extending until the Hyphasis (Beas).

After the death of her husband Rana Sanga, queen Karnavati, became the official of Mewar and ruled it in the name of her elder son Vikramjeet. When Bahadur Shah of Gujarat attacked Mewar for the second time, the queen began looking for support from other kingdoms. Karnavati at the time wrote to Mughal Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi and sought protection. Despite Humayun’s father Babar defeating Rana Sanga in 1527, and the Mughal emperor himself being in the middle of another military campaign, he abandoned everything to pay attention to Mewar to help Karnavati.

The Mughal emperor was heartbroken when he couldn’t make it on time. The Rajput army was defeated in Chittor, and Rani Karnavati immolated herself in the Rajput custom of Jauhar. Later, Humayun restored the kingdom to Karnavati’s son, Vikramjit.

Rakhi and the epic of India

One of the most popular Indian mythology legends is that of Lord Krishna and Draupadi – wife of the five Pandavas. On Makar Sankranti, as Krishna bled profusely after cutting his little finger, Draupadi cut off a part of the loose end of her sari and tied it on his finger. Krishna then promised to protect her. Krishna helping Draupadi was immortalised in mythology. At her unceremonious cheerharan (disrobing), her sari keeps getting extended, which is how he answers her call for help.

Rakhi and the mythology of India

Do you know that the first raksha bandhan was celebrated by husband and wife?

It sounds surprising, but the essence of this festival first came into existence when during a war between the Devas and the Asuras (demons), Lord Krishna asked Lord Indra’s wife to tie a protective thread on the wrist of Lord Indra. This happened on the day of shravan poornima and the day is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan from then on.

When Yama, the God of Death, did not visit his sister Yamuna, the river goddess sought help from river Ganga for 12 years. Upon a reminder about his sister by Ganga, Yama decided to visit Yamuna. Being overjoyed by her brother’s arrival, Yamuna prepared a bountiful feast for Yama and tied a rakhi on his wrist. Delighted, he asked his sister what she wanted as a gift. All she wished for was her brother to visit her soon. Moved by his sister’s love, he blessed her with eternal life, and so Yamuna, the longest and the second-largest tributary of river Ganga, flows tirelessly today.

From a simple sacred thread called kalawa, to modern-day e-rakhis sent to brothers staying in different citiesd, the tradition continues in present-day India with full swing and fervour. Raksha Bandhan celebrations may have drastically evolved from the Vedic era but it continues to strengthen the bond even in present times.