When is Raksha Bandhan 2024? History, Significance and All You Need to Know About Rakhi?

Raksha Bandhan is an amazing festival that celebrates the bonds of siblings. We also considered it a knot of commitment and fostered the relationships between brother and sister. The festival is believed to boost and strengthen the lovely relationship.

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When is Raksha Bandhan 2024?

We have regarded Raksha Bandhan as an undiluted mark of love and affection. It is also considered a day to cherish a sibling's pious relationship. We also celebrate the festival across the country, but it carries different names. Similarly, it has numerous legends, stories and myths associated with it.

The Raksha Bandhan is observed on the full moon day of the Shravan month. This year, the same is to be kept on 19 August.

The Auspicious Time for Raksha Bandhan 2024

It is believed that we must not do the entire Rakhi ritual during Bhadra. This is because the period is malicious and not suitable for auspicious works.

However, the aparahna time is the most suitable time for tying Rakhi. Similarly, pra dosha time is also ideal for the ceremony.

Here is the auspicious time for Raksha Bandhan 2024 -

• Purnima tithi begins at 03:05 AM on the Raksha Bandhan day, i.e. 19 August 2024.
• Purnima tithi ends at 11:55 PM on 19 August 2023.

The History and Mythology of the Festival

Raksha Bandhan is a festival celebrating the bond of love, care, respect and protection. It has both historical and mythological significance -

• Historically, Raksha Bandhan is believed to have originated from ancient Indian history -

According to the legends, the festival has been observed since the great king Alexander invaded India in 326 BCE.

During his invasion, Alexander's wife Roxana sent a rakhi to King Porus, seeking his protection for her husband.

Porus accepted the Rakhi and promised to protect Alexander from harm, which he did during the battle.

• Mythologically, Raksha Bandhan is associated with several Hindu mythological stories -

One of the most popular folklore is from Mahabharata, underlining the strong relationship between Shri Krishna and his sister Draupadi.

According to the story, when Krishna was fighting a battle against the evil King Shishupala, he cut his finger. Seeing this, Draupadi immediately tore a piece of her sari and tied it around his finger to stop the bleeding. In return, Krishna promised to protect Draupadi from harm and fulfil her wishes.

A similar famous story is that of the demon King Bali and Devi Lakshmi. King Bali was a generous king who had won the hearts of his subjects. But his pride and arrogance had angered the Gods, who then asked Shri Vishnu Ji to intervene.

Shri Vishnu disguised himself as a hapless Brahmin and approached Bali, seeking help. Bali promised to fulfil his request, and then Shri Vishnu revealed his proper form and asked Bali for three steps of land.

The king agreed, and Shri Vishnu then covered the earth and the sky with his first two steps. When he asked Bali where to put his third step, Bali offered his head, and Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld.

Impressed by Bali's generosity, Devi Lakshmi tied a rakhi around Bali's wrist and made him her brother, promising to protect him forever. Taking this legend ahead, Raksha Bandhan is today celebrated by sisters tying a Rakhi around their brother's wrist. They still pray for their long life and happiness.

The festival represents the strong bond of love and is quite popular among the Indian diaspora worldwide.

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Significance of Raksha Bandhan Festival

Raksha Bandhan remains a famous Hindu festival for siblings. Today, the same is celebrated by Indians across India and abroad.

Raksha Bandhan also conveys itself as a safety bond and has been used across history for safety and security.

For instance - The famous poet Rabindranath Tagore promoted the celebration of the festival post the partition of Bengal. He used the event to encourage strong relationships between otherwise divided communities.

He also encouraged non-Hindus to tie Rakhi and convey their love for their state. This was an influential attempt against the Britishers and their unfavourable strategies. His effort helped to create an atmosphere of peace and comfort.

The festival is celebrated to promote peace, brotherhood and care.

Teachings from the Raksha Bandhan Festival

As per Bhavishya Purana, the festival was initially meant merely for the celebrations of the kings, yet today, the same is celebrated by all.

Here are some of the fundamental teachings from the Raksha Bandhan festival-

Love and Respect for Siblings-

Raksha Bandhan is all about expressing love, care and respect towards siblings. It is not limited to maternal bonds but goes beyond the same to include social relations and critical people who make untiring efforts for us.

It reminds us of the strong bond we share with our siblings and the importance of maintaining it. It teaches us to appreciate our exceptional people and their presence.

Duty Towards Protection -

The festival of Raksha Bandhan signifies the duty of a brother to protect his sister.

This duty is not limited to physical protection but to emotional and mental well-being.

The festival reminds us about our duty towards the protection and well-being of our loved ones.

The Power of Promises -

Raksha Bandhan involves a promise made by the brother to protect his sister, just like the tale of Draupadi and Shri Krishna.

The Raksha Bandhan promise is to be taken very seriously. It is considered binding.

The festival also teaches us the importance of keeping our promises, showing bravery and fulfilling our commitments.

Importance of Giving -

Raksha Bandhan also involves the exchange of gifts between siblings. It teaches us the importance of giving and sharing with our loved ones.

Rakhi also reminds us that the joy of giving is often more significant than the joy of receiving.

Forgiveness -

Raksha Bandhan is a time for taking a step towards forgiveness and reconciliation.

It is also an opportunity for siblings to bury the hatchet and release past grudges or resentments.

It further teaches us that forgiveness is a powerful tool for healing and that it is never too late to make amends. The festival celebrations teach us valuable lessons that can help us and help to live a fearless, fun, fulfilling and meaningful life.

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The Religious Significance of Raksha Bandhan

Although we find devotees across the nation flocking to the temples to celebrate the festival. Many tie Rakhi on the wrist of priests or religious leaders to seek spiritual guidance and support.

The festival is also widely celebrated in Varanasi's famous Kal Bhairav Temple. Here a black thread is tied to the devotees' wrists. Similarly, a red thread is tied on the hand and forehead to seek divine blessings at the Vaishno Devi shrine.

Traditionally it is believed that when celebrated with purity and sanctity, the Yagnopaveetham brings Raksha. Further, the thread can be tied to anyone's wrist to seek protection and respect. This is true for non-sibling bonds.

The Transfer of the Divine Energy

When tying Raksha Bandhan, it is believed that a female's divine energy manifests and transfers through the thread. The average effect stays up to 5 hours. However, for a spiritually aware sister, the more motivation and the greater the transfer of energy. This results in both spiritual and mental progress.

For the best results, the following aspects must be taken into consideration -

• For tying Rakhi, a small wooden stool for brothers must be used.
• The same must be adorned with a rangoli design. This promotes Sattvik frequencies to make the environment clean and pure.
• After tying Rakhi, both brothers and sisters must pray for delivering protection and respect.
• Ideally, a ghee aarti must be used for pooja.

The Mythological Significance

It is believed that the principles of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesha descend on Earth on this day. Further, the day coincides with Balarama Jayanti, which signifies siblings' strong bond and care.

Similarly, the day has an incredible increase in the absolute fire element, and aarti helps to enhance the same and transfer to the brother. Also, the brothers benefit from Shakti principles while getting Rakhi tied.

Thus, choosing the right gifts can boost my Sattvik energy. The high frequency of the day combines to deliver Tej. This causes particles to be emitted into the environment. By tying Rakhi, a woman balances the energy and prevents hostile forces from seeking benefits from such high frequencies.

Hence, through festival celebrations, the scope of ideas and energies increases. This helps both to progress well and work for mutual benefit.

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The Social Significance of Raksha Bandhan

Considering the fast-paced environment and competitive scenario, the doors of communication and mutual respect have closed. Raksha Bandhan allows all to open these channels and strengthen their bonds. It also helps to reduce problems and boost mutual respect.

Many people today tie Rakhi to trees to promote the safety of the ecosystem and boost social balance.