What Raksha Bandhan is
Raksha Bandhan is ‘the bond of protection’: a thread tied on someone's wrist with a prayer for their wellbeing. Today it is mainly a sister–brother festival: the sister ties the rakhi, applies a tilak and feeds her brother a sweet; he gives a gift and a promise to stand by her.
In the older custom the priest tied this thread on the households he served, and the royal priest on the king. On this Purnima, Brahmin families also keep Shravani upakarma, renewing the sacred thread; in the south it is ‘Avani Avittam’.
How the date is decided
Shastra (Dharmasindhu): Raksha Bandhan is done in the Purnima that
- is free of Bhadra,
- lasts more than three muhurtas after sunrise, and
- the tying is in the aparahna or pradosha.
If the Purnima lasts under three muhurtas after sunrise, it is done on the previous day in a Bhadra-free pradosha. Dharmasindhu adds that it is done even on an eclipse or sankranti day.
What Bhadra is: Bhadra is the name of the Vishti karana, about half a tithi long. The first half of the Purnima often falls in Bhadra, so in many years Bhadra runs in the morning and the rakhi is tied after noon. Bhadra is simply avoided; nothing to fear. (See the karana page.)
The story: tradition / Purana story
King Bali's mantra: Dharmasindhu gives this mantra for tying the thread: “yena baddho balī rājā dānavendro mahābalaḥ, tena tvām abhibadhnāmi rakṣe mā cala mā cala.” Meaning: with the (dharma) bond that bound the mighty Bali, king of the danavas, I bind you; O protection, stay firm.
Stories in tradition: in one, during the war of gods and asuras, Shachi tied a protective thread on Indra's wrist. In another, Lakshmi tied a rakhi on King Bali and asked him to let Vishnu return home. In a folk story Draupadi tore a strip of her sari to bind Krishna's cut finger, and Krishna honoured that bond.
Dharmasindhu also records Lord Hayagriva's appearance on this Purnima.
How families celebrate
In north and west India: rakhis, sweets and siblings meeting in every home; rakhis are posted to brothers far away. In Maharashtra and the coast the same day is Narali Purnima, when fishing communities offer coconuts to the sea. In Uttarakhand it is ‘Janeu Punyu’. In many places sisters also tie rakhis on soldiers, trees or friends; the idea of protection is for everyone.
A simple rite
- Prepare a plate: roli, rice, a lamp, the rakhi and a sweet.
- Seat the brother facing east, a cloth on his head.
- Tilak and rice, then tie the rakhi on the right wrist with the ‘yena baddho’ mantra or a prayer from the heart.
- Aarti and a sweet; the brother gives a gift as he can.
No paid puja is needed. Just check that Bhadra is not running.
Safety
Travel and markets are crowded at festival time; mind children and belongings. Sweets can be adulterated; a trusted shop or homemade is better. People with diabetes can keep sweets in balance. Fewer plastic rakhis is kinder, and keep small beads away from toddlers' mouths.
In ePandit
In ePandit: our calendar shows the festival day with your city's sunrise and sunset. The day is decided once, for Ujjain; your city's times are shown separately. We don't compute muhurta yet, and we never call a festival good or bad for anyone.