Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi)

By Sucheta Rustgi

(CHAKRA) Raksha bandhan has been celebrated over generations with sisters tying rakhis-a symbolic string-around the wrist of their brothers. The significance of the string is to maintain a strong relationship or ‘bandhan’ between the siblings where a sister ties a string on her brother’s wrist to give him her blessings and love while a brother accepts the string and promises lifelong care of his sister. Over the years the exchange has become one in which a sister ties a rakhi on her brother’s wrist and feeds him sweets on the occasion after which he grants her with a gift whether it be money a saree or anything else.

Such a tradition was relevant and necessary in the past when arranged marriages were a norm and way of life for many young teenaged girls who were married off very early in their lives. Young girls essentially met their husbands-to-be for a brief tea with their family, the decision was made with a discussion between parents, and a date was set for the marriage. That was it. The girl, now suddenly a woman would be married off in a few days and living with a complete stranger.

As a result, it was very important for a brother to give his promise and share a strong relationship with his sister so that if something were to go wrong with the marriage as an example, the brother would be there to help. Such a tradition helped to maintain an unbreakable connection between a brother and a sister. Also, it was a widely accepted and promoted occasion, which created a social obligation in the eyes of society making the ritual more ingrained into society.

It is evident why such an occasion was almost enforced in the past and continues to be a tradition many follow once a year as it has been passed down through the generations. Many people raise the question of how relevant the tradition is in our modern day society where brothers and sisters grow up together but now choose their future husbands and wives to be for the most part in North America. Is a brother even needed for protection in a society where both men and women have emerged to be almost equally independent? Should he be responsible for the care of his sister should something go wrong? Another question is, with how much sincerity is the tradition practiced? Is it done just for a ‘show and tell’ or ‘follow the other’ purpose or does it truly hold meaning for the participants?

Although such questions come up occasionally in regards to Rakshabandhan’s yearly ritual, it is important to note that no such tradition or special day exists for the relationship of a brother and sister in the west. There is a Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Family Day but not sibling day. As it is evident, the relationship between siblings is not as highly regarded, as is the relationship between a mother/father and child. Children grow up spending time with their siblings more than anyone else in their early years up until they leave their homes to live on their own. Why should these years spent together not be celebrated or strengthened while together and even after they separate? Although it is clear that a sister may not need as much help from her brother as was the case in the past, there is no harm in maintaining such a relationship as there is good in the act itself, no matter how it is maintained.

Historically the string or ‘rakhi’ held a lot of real life and symbolic value. Nowadays, although the real life obligation is not required from a brother, having such a mindset and holding high regard to a brother-sister relationship will only help to maintain ties between family members. These ties could otherwise go astray over the years after being apart for a long period. Such a tradition gives one more reason for siblings to meet, enjoy and reminisce about a unique past they shared together that no one else would understand as they do. While the relationship is maintained through the celebration of Rakshabandhan, the symbolic value of a brother-sister relationship will also stay true within the hearts of men and women who were once boys and girls.

Hungry Ghost Festival in Singapore

(CHAKRA) August 24th, 2010 is a special day & week for both Buddhists (Hungry Ghost Festival) and Hindus (Raksha Bandhan).

The Hungry Ghost festival is celebrated in a few countries such as various parts of China. The Hungry Ghost Realm is one of the Six Realms of Samsara, into which beings are reborn.  Hungry Ghost celebrations can be tracked back to the Ullambana Sutra where the Buddha’s disciple Mahamaudgalyayana learned that his mom had been reborn as a hungry ghost. He gave her a plate of food, but before she could eat it the food turned into burning coals. Mahamaudgalyayana went to the Buddha to learn what he could do for her and was told the sangha should fill clean basins with fruits and other food, along with other offerings.  The Buddha instructed the assembled sangha to place the basins in front of an altar and recite mantras and prayers. Then 7 generations of ancestors will be released from the lower realms and they will receive the food in the basins and have blessing for a hundred years.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated by Hindus all over the world but is most common with Hindus from North India. The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi (holy colored thread) by the sister on her brothers wrist. The brother then offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents mitai (sweets) to her brother. The brother and sister traditionally feed one another mitai. There are various tales on how Raksha Bandhan. The main story being from the epic Mahabharat that concerns Krishna and Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas where she had torn a strip of thread/fabric off her sari and tied it around Krishna’s finger to stop the flow of blood. Krishna was so touched by her action that He found himself bound to her by love. He promised to repay the debt and then spent the next 25 years showing devotion. Draupadi, in spite of being married to 5 great warriors and being a daughter of a powerful monarch, trusted and depended wholly on Krishna. There is also much evidence of Raksha Bandhan during the medieval era, around the 15th century, there were many wars between the Rajputs and Muslim invaders.