Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day in the Hindu calendar month of Shravana which typically falls in August.

The festival means a knot of protection coming from the words Raksha which means protection and Bandhan which means to tie. Celebrated by Hindus in the northern and western parts of India, Jains (where priests give ceremonial threads) it is also celebrated in Nepal, Pakistan, and Mauritius. Sikhs celebrate the day as Rakhardi or Rakhari.

The origin of the festival has its roots in mythology, and it is said that as per the Bhavishya Purana, a fierce battle between Gods and demons ensued at one time when Lord Indra and demon King Bali fought against each other. The war raged on without a conclusion and Indra’s wife Sachi went to Lord Vishnu who gave her a cotton thread. Sachi tied this around the wrist of her husband, who defeated the demons and recovered his capital.

Another story is from Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana, when Lord Vishnu won the three worlds from the demon King Bali, the latter requested Vishnu to stay with him. As Goddess Lakshmi, wife of Lord Vishnu wanted him to return home, she tied  rakhi around the wrist of Bali and as a return gift asked him to free her husband from the vow and let him return to his home (Vaikuntha).

Another story is related to the sons of Lord Ganesha Shubh and Labh who wanted a sister and Lord Ganesha created Santoshi Maa through the divine flames and the children had their sister for Raksha Bandhan. In the Mahabharata, Draupadi, wife of Pandavas tied a rakhi to Lord Krishna and Kunti tied the rakhi to her grandson Abhimanyu.

Rakhi today has moved into the realm of sustainability with eco friendly rakhis becoming popular.

Read the full story that first appeared in India Currents here: