Indians around the world celebrate Rakshabandhan, a Hindu festival for siblings
- The tradition commemorates the bond between a brother and sister
How do Indians celebrate Rakshabandhan?
How do Indians celebrate Rakshabandhan?
Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Late last month, Indians across the world celebrated the festival of Rakshabandhan. The celebrations symbolise the bond between siblings. Sisters tie a decorated thread called a rakhi on their brothers’ wrists and receive gifts in return.
The word “Rakshabandhan” is made of two Hindi words – “raksha”, which means protection, and “bandhan”, which means bond. It symbolises a brother’s vow to protect their sisters against all ills in society.
Rakshabandhan is celebrated in memory of an ancient story about the god Krishna, from a Hindu scripture called the Mahabharata.
Krishna had a strong bond with a woman called Draupadi. The story goes that Krishna hurt his finger and Draupadi cut a piece of her dress to tie around his finger as a bandage.
Krishna then promised Draupadi to return the favour and help her when she needed it. When Draupadi was in trouble, Krishna saved her. This is the story behind the festival.
Suggested answer: Sisters tie a decorated thread called a “rakhi” on their brothers’ wrists and receive gifts in return.