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Raksha Bandhan 2022 – Significance, Legends, Celebration and Shubh Muhurat!

Significance Information about Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi and its History, Celebration, Legends, and Date Time!

Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Celebration 2022:

In Sanskrit, “Raksha Bandhan” means “the bond of protection, obligation, or care,” is now principally applied to this ritual. Raksha Bandhan is an annual Hindu festival of brother and sister, in which sister ties a sacred thread or amulet or talisman (known as Rakhi) on her brother’s wrist with blessings of his well-being and progress. In the return, brother promises to protect his sister in all issues during whole life and he also gives lovely gifts, new clothes and cash money to keep her sister happy forever.

Raksha Bandhan Celebration Date and Time:

Raksha Bandhan is generally observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Shraavana, which typically falls in August as per Gregorian calendar. This year in 2022, it is falling on 11th August 2022.

This year, the Purnima (full moon day) tithi will start at 10.38 am on August 11, 2022, and end at 7.05 am on August 12, 2022. Raksha Bandhan ceremonies should not be performed during Bhadra, which is a inauspicious time and thus should be avoided for all holy work. This year, the Bhadra time will end at 8.51 pm. This year, the Pardosh timings for Raksha Bandhan 2022 thread ceremony will last for 22 mins starting from 8.51 pm to 09.13 pm.

Raksha Bandhan Celebration Significance: It is called Rakhi, Saluno, Silono and Rakri in various geographical regions. A ritual related with Saluno included the sisters to place shoots of barley behind the ears of their brothers.

About the special significance of Raksha Bandhan, it is related to married women specially in north India. As per tradition, a bride marries out of her natal village or town, and her parents, by custom, do not visit her in her married home then a married Hindu women travels back to their parents’ homes every year for the Raksha Bandhan ceremony. Their brothers, who naturally live with the parents or nearby, sometimes travel to their sisters’ married home to escort them back. Several younger married women arrive a few weeks earlier at their natal homes and stay until the ceremony. The brothers serve as permanent intermediaries between their sisters’ married and parental homes and assures their security and well-being.

Among women and men who are not blood relations, there is also a transformed tradition of voluntary kin relations, achieved through the tying of rakhi amulets, which have cut across caste and class lines.

It is celebrated all across the north India, central India, western India, Nepal< Pakistan, Mauritius and Fiji. While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in various parts of South Asia, different regions mark the day in different ways.

It is also celebrated as Jhulan Purnima in West Bengal. Prayers and puja of Krishna and Radha are performed there. Sisters tie rakhi to brothers and wish immortality. All Political parties, offices, friends, schools to colleges, street to palace celebrate this day with a new anticipation for a lovely relationship.

The Maharashtra’s Koli community is celebrated Raksha Bandhan/Rakhi Pournima along with Narali Pournima (coconut day festival). Kolis are the fishermen community of the coastal state. The fishermen offer prayers to Varuna, the Hindu god of Sea, to invoke his blessings. As part of the rites, coconuts were thrown into the sea as offerings to Varuna. The girls and women tie rakhi on their brother’s wrist, as elsewhere.

In Haryana, during the celebration of Raksha Bandhan, people observe the festival of Salono. Salono is celebrated by priests solemnly tying amulets against evil on people’s wrists.

In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is known as Janai Purnima or Rishitarpani, and it involves a holy thread ceremony. It is observed by both Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal. The Hindu men change the thread they wear around their chests (janai), while in some parts of Nepal girls and women tie rakhi on their brother’s wrists.

This raksha bandhan is also called Rakhi Purnima/Gamha Purnima In Odisha. A sister ties rakhi around his brother’s wrist as a mark of love and honour and the brother promises to protect his sister from all the difficulties.

Rakshabandhan, also known as Rakhi, is a Hindu festival in which a sister ties a sacred thread onto her brother’s wrist and he, in return, promises to protect her all her life. The brother and sister may or may not be biologically related to each other.

Overall, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated between brother-sister, priest-devotee, saint-pupil, leader-worker with great fervour and enthusiasm. On this occasion, people take holy bath and wear new clothes and celebrate Rakhi in auspicious mahurat as per Indian calendar or Panchang. The gifts, money, clothes and sweets exchange have happened between brothers and sisters and other people. Raksha Bandhan is festival of bonding, love, affection, care and security which display and promise to each other.

Myth, Legends and Stories behind Raksha Bandhan Celebration:

1. A Legend of first Raksha Bandhan between Husband Indra and Wife Sachi:

As per Indra and wife Sachi’s story, a sacred thread or amulet or bracelet is protection holy thread that is tied on the wrist of husband to conquer over evil enemies. As per traditional mythical legends, in a war between gods and demons, Indra was humiliated by demon king, Bali. on this humiliation, Indra’s wife, Sachi consulted Lord Vishnu, who then gave her a sacred bracelet or thread made of cotton. Sachi tied the holy thread around Indra’s wrist with blessings; and therefore, Indra defeated Bali and recovered Amaravati. This story illustrates not only the power of a holy thread, but also that Raksha Bandhan is not restricted to a brother-sister bond.

2. The Legend of Krishna and Draupadi Raksha Bandhan:

As per the epic Mahabharata’s believe, Lord Krishna happened to cut his finger. On seeing this, while his wife and other companions present, ran to get a bandage, Draupadi tore off a part from her saree to tie on his finger. Impressed by this action, Lord Krishna told ‘Akshyam’ which meant ‘may it be unending’. That proved to be a blessing for Draupadi during ‘Vastraharan’ as her saree became endless and it saved her from the awkwardness from being disrobed in front of everyone present in the King Dhritrashtra’s court. It is believed that this a piece of saree become a symbol of protection as Rakhi during old Mahabharata days.

3. The legend of Bali and Lakshmi Raksha Bandhan:

According to the legend as described in the Bhagvata Purana and Vishnu Purana, after Lord Vishnu conquered Bali, Bali pleaded him to stay with him in his palace. Lord Vishnu accepted Bali’s plea; but it did not go down well with Lord Vishnu’s wife, Goddess Lakshmi. She went to Bali in disguise and tied a Rakhi on his wrist. When Bali requested Goddess Lakshmi about what she wanted in return as a gift, she asked for Lord Vishnu to be freed from his request of staying with him in his palace. Bali agreed to it as he had made a promise to his now-sister, Lakshmi.

4. The legend of Yama and Yamuna Raksha Bandhan:

As per mythical legend, Yamuna was sad as her brother Yama (the god of death) had not visited her for around 12 years and she talked about her sorrow with Ganga. Ganga informed Yama about it and he decided to visit Yamuna. Finally, Yama came to meet Yamuna and was pleased to see all the efforts and preparation she had made for her brother’s visit. Yamuna tied a Rakhi on Yama’s wrist and, in return, Yama who was impressed by his sister’s love, blessed her with immortality.

5. The legend of Santoshi Mata and brothers Shubha-Labha:

As per religious mythical story, once, Lord Ganesha’s sons Shubha and Labha were angry on seeing behenmansa tying a Rakhi on Lord Ganesha’s wrist. The two boys become frustrated that they have no sister to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with.  They request their father Ganesha for a sister, but to no benefit. At last, jagat muni Narada appears who encourages Ganesha that a daughter will enrich him as well as his sons. Finally, Ganesha decided, and created a daughter named Santoshi Maa by divine flames that emerged from Ganesh’s wives, Riddhi (Amazing) and Siddhi (Perfection). Afterward, Shubha and Labha had a sister named Santoshi Maa (literally “Goddess of Satisfaction”), to tie Rakhi over Raksha Bandhan. Finally, Santoshi Maa came into existence.

6. The Legend of Vishnu and Parvati Raksha Bandhan:

As per the description in Puranas, Parvati is a sister of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Ganga. Once, goddess Parvati tied rakhi (a sacred thread) to Lord Vishnu and in return he helped her win Lord Shiva’s heart for wedding. Lord Shiva had declined Parvati’s wedding proposal as he was mourning his wife Sati’s demise. Finally, Lord Vishnu fulfilled his promise for Parvati to persuade Shiva to marry Parvati and also accomplished all the traditional ceremonies of the Shiva-Parvati wedding as a doting brother.

How to Celebrate Raksha Bandhan:

1. Both brother and sister should be woken up early in the morning and take holy bath and must adorn new clothes to sanctified this holy occasion.

2. Sister should prepare a thali with handkerchief, favourite sweet, a coconut, rori, Kumkum, raw rice and a lit diya for aarti of brother.  

3. Firstly, all women of family should tie the Rakhi to all available gods in temple in the form of idol, especially to lord Krishna and Ganeshji.

3. After god’s Raksha Bandhan, now sister should open handkerchief and put on head of brother. Put coconut in his hand and do tilak on brother’s forehead with rori, rice and Kumkum.

4. Now, sister should tie the Rakhi on the wrist of brother and eat sweet with smile.

5. Afterward, brother should touch the feet of sister and give gift to her in terms of money, saree, dresses and other her favourite things.

6. Sister should give blessings of her brother’s well-being and prosperity and in return, brother should promise her to his availability anytime whenever she has to be needed.

7. In the last, both should enjoy the best favourite cuisines and foods with all family members.Conclusion: Raksha Bandhan is celebrated all around the India as well in some countries of overseas with great fervour and enthusiasm. It’s a festival of promises and restore faiths between brothers and sisters all around the globe. We should celebrate it for our deep rooted and well tested traditional holy benefits in terms of brothers and sisters.