Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan, a festival which reflects the most beautiful relationship of brother and sister will be celebrated on 10^th of August 2014 all over the globe. The glory of Hinduism religion is the enormous kinds of festivals and each festival has a major significance. In which Rakhabandhan is a festival of strengthening the most adorable and delicate relationship of siblings. A Sacred thread is being tied by a sister around the wrist of her brother. A thread is melt with the love and care of a sister for her brother. And the beauty of this festival is that it is necessary to have a blood relation, any girl can tie a rakhi who seems to be very close to her.

 It is a protection thread which is tied by sister on the wrist of her brother with a wish to protect him from all evils and in return brother promises to protect her sister from all the problems and troubles. But the festival was first celebrated when Lord Indra was in a war in adverse situation and his wife tied a thread around his wrist for the sake of his protection. Yes, it was tied by his wife; therefore a rakhi can be tie by a wife, daughter and sister for the protection of their husband, father and brother. There are many mythological stories which can signify the true bond of protection by Rakhi.

According to mythology, once the demons attacked deities and Lord Indra. On full moon day of Hindu month of Shravan (Shravan Purnima) a fierce fight between Demons and deities had began. Unfortunately, in the war demons were much stronger then deities. The King of the deities, Lord Indra becomes vulnerable and worried by seeing the strong position of demons in the war. At that time Indras wife Indrani tied a thread on the wrist of Indra which she has prepared by using her religious power and was considered to be the lucky charm for Lord Indra. As, through the strength of this thread Indra marked a triumph over demons and the thread worked as a protection Armor for Lord Indra. This was considered to be the first story when Indras wife tied a thread on her husband wrist.   

Other mythological story states that the second most ancient story of Yama- Yamuna related to Rakshabandhan. Yamuna is the sister of Lord Yama, the God of Death. On every Shravan Purnima, Yamuna used to tie a sacred thread to Lord Yama. Since then, it has become a tradition for sisters to tie a thread rakhi to their brothers on Shravan Purnima. Thus, the thread of protection reflects how the relationship of brother and sister comes under the shadow of love and care. 

Another interesting story is of Raja Bali and Goddess Lakshmi, revolves around the festival of Rakshabandhan.  According to the story, King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and Lord Indra felt insecure by seeing the true devotion of Bali. Indra played his trick and worshipped Vishnu and asked him to help by saving his throne. Lord Vishnu accepted his prayer and overthrew Bali. Later, Lord Vishnu gave Bali a boon of immortality and also promised to take care of his kingdom. To keep his promise Lord Vishnu left his home Vaikunthdham and resides in Balis kingdom. But Goddess Lakshmi was worried by her husband action and she went to Bali as a poor Brahmin lady, and requested him for shelter. She tied a sacred thread on Balis wrist on Shravan Purnima as she regarded him as a brother. When Bali asked her for a wish, then she disclosed her identity and asked him to send her husband, Lord Vishnu back to Vaikunthdham.