Raksha Ka Bandhan

India is perhaps the only country in the world that celebrates the bond of love between brothers and sisters. ‘Love’ usually refers to the bond or attraction between a man and a woman or parents and children. Mother’s love is said to be the purest form of love. The love that a mother shares with her offspring is always complete. When a woman has her first child, she gives him her 100% love. When she has the second or third she is still able to give each child her 100%. She doesn’t have to divide love. That’s the way God made mothers. But only a few people are able to carry forward the legacy of the mother and give unconditional love to their siblings.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on Shraavan Poornima, the full moon day in the month of Shraavan. It is said that just before Krishna left for war, his sister Subhadra tied a thread on his wrist, praying for his welfare and saying, “May you shine like the full moon and may you be victorious.” It was like a Raksha Kavach tied by a sister on her brother’s wrist. This was the first Raksha ka Bandhan.

The love between siblings is celebrated in the Jagannath Temple at Puri. The Sanctum Sanctorum has an idol of Lord Jagannath (Lord of the Universe), a form of Vishnu or Krishna in black colour, along with his fair skinned brother, Balabhadra or Balrama, and their yellow-skinned sister, Subhadra.

It is said that Krishna’s finger bled after he slayed his evil cousin Shishupala with His Sudarshan Chakra. Draupadi swiftly tore off a piece of cloth from the pallu of her saree and bandaged Krishna’s finger. Then Krishna promised Draupadi that if ever she reached out to Him for help, He would protect her. When the infamous game of dice happened between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Draupadi was dragged in, with the intention of disrobing her and outraging her modesty amidst the Kuru clan. When Draupadi beseeched and prayed to Krishna to save her, he said, “Akshayam!” And this made her saree unending. Dushasana kept pulling and unravelling her saree but the more he pulled, the longer it became. Because Krishna made it Akshayam (endless) in return for the minuscule strip of cloth she had once torn off her saree, to bandage his bleeding finger. That’s the extent He went to keep the promise to his sister.

In recent times Rakhi has become all about brothers giving gifts to sisters on Rakhi day. Strangely the part about protection of the brother or sister has vanished.

I had once asked my father why siblings fight so much. He said that it’s because they have something to share and they don’t want to share it! When the second child is born, there is a rivalry to get more time, attention and love from the parents. The rivalry extends to toys, clothes, eats and then property and valuables! Getting your share or more, is what the fight is all about.

Countries sharing common borders fight over land, water and even the space above!

In the contemporary world, women are considered equivalent to men in all spheres of life. The question of Raksha or protection of sisters is perhaps redundant. But life is unpredictable. Sometime or the other, anyone of us may need help. Recently the erstwhile Prime Minister of Bangladesh sought help and protection from the Prime Minister of India, and he rose to the occasion. Life is full of ups and downs. And those in the downs would seek help from those in the ups. Sometimes brothers need their sisters and sometimes sisters need their brothers.

Raksha Bandhan is a festival to celebrate our siblings and remind us of the importance of strengthening our sibling-bonds, accept our siblings as they are and teach us to value them. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

This piece has been published in HT on 18.08.2024. It can be viewed here https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/raksha-ka-bandhan-101723922111349.html