Bhubaneswar: Raksha Bandhan, commemorating the everlasting bonds between siblings, is being celebrated this year on Purnima Tithi, the last Monday of the holy month of Sawan. According to astrologers, the auspicious time to tie Rakhi to siblings is during parahna,’ which is late afternoon. If one is unable to tie Rakhi during Aparahna time, they can perform the ritual during the Pradosh time.
However, one should avoid performing Rakhi Purnima rituals during ‘Bhadra’ time. Rooted in mythology and upheld by centuries of tradition, Raksha Bandhan continues to unite families and communities across India. The concept and sentiment behind the festival highlights the cultural beauty and integrity of India.
It has a multifarious association with mythology, history and our colonial past. Here’s a collection at the legends of Rakhi from different eras: In 1905, when the Partition of Bengal divided the nation, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsavas to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and strengthen the bond of love and togetherness between Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. He also urged them to protest against the British.
The partition may have divided the state, but his tradition continues in parts of West Bengal, with people tying rakhi on neighbours and close friends’ wrists. Tagore penned the following as symbolism of Raksha Bandhan: “Our pre-destined identity You boast of the strength to slice across! Are you that mighty? Our wreck or salvage plight, All in yo.