India celebrates 'Raksha Bandhan'

Raksha Bandhan, the festival of special bond between brothers and sisters, is being celebrated across the country on Saturday. On the occasion, sisters tie colourful rakhi around the wrist of their brothers and pray for their prosperity, health and well-being. In return, brothers pledge to protect and support their sisters and present them gifts. Raksha Bandhan is one of the most significant festivals of Hindus which is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy across the country and this festival is also celebrated all the Indians who live outside of the country. The festival is celebrated on Shravan Purnima. This is a festival that honors the relationship between siblings by highlighting love, responsibility, and respect.

President Droupadi Murmu has greeted citizens on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. In her message, the President highlighted that the holy festival of Raksha Bandhan signifies the unique bond of love and trust between brothers and sisters. She said that this festival promotes harmony and spirit of unity in the society. President Murmu noted that this occasion is also an opportunity to preserve India’s rich cultural heritage and moral values and it strengthens everyone’s determination to protect the rights of women and respect them. She urged people to pledge to build a prosperous country where every woman feels safe and can actively contribute to the development of the nation.

For the farmer community of various regions of India, the ceremony of Shravani conducted on the day of Rakhi Purnima has special significance. A better harvesting season relies on affluent rainwater. The monsoon is the best time to receive adequate water for farming activities. Therefore, the farmers of the states such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand adore soil for its fruitfulness. The Origins of Raksha Bandhan can be traced back to ancient times. References to this festival can be found in legends related to Alexander the Great dating back to 326 BCE. Hindu scriptures also contain several accounts of Raksha Bandhan: