Significance of Rakhi

Raksha Bandhan, also known as Rakhi, is a very popular festival in India and is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur. It is considered a very auspicious and special festival in the Northern parts of India. Every festival celebrated in India has a rich history from it first started and how it came to be celebrated as a festival.
Raksha Bandhan celebrates sibling love

The festival of Raksha Bandhan is being celebrated to honour the bond of love and protection between brothers and sisters since the days of yore. This year Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on 29th August 2015. Let us explore the legends associated with this festival.

Krishna and Draupadi

Perhaps the two most popular characters in Indian mythology, Lord Krishna and Draupadi or Panchali, the wife of the Pandavas. It is a known fact that Lord Krishna was very fond of Draupadi, king Drupad’s daughter and often called her Krishnaa. During the royal Swayamvar, when Draupadi is won over by Arjuna, Lord Krishna is the one to express his happiness the most, as he was Arjuna’s mentor and closest confidant.

Krishna protected Draupadi during Cheer-Haran

As per legends, on a Sankranti day, Lord Krishna happened to cut his little finger while eating sugarcane. His consort Sathyabhama rushed to get a piece of cloth for the wound and his queen Rukmini immediately sent her aide to get a bandage. However, Panchali who was watching the scene simply walked over and tore a piece of her saree to bandage Krishna’s hand. Lord Krishna was really impressed by her actions and blessed her for her good deed. He prom

Rani Karnavati & Humayun

Another famous legend Another famous legend of Raksha Bandhan is that of Rani Karnvati and Emperor Humayun. Rani Karnavati was the queen regent of Mewar after the death of her husband, King Rana Sangha. She continued to rule in her elder son’s name, Vikramjeet. However, when Bahadur Shah of Gujarat attacked Mewar for the second time, the queen regent reached out to Emperor Humayun for help. This is because Bahadur Shah had already defeated young Vikramjeet once before.

Rani Karnavati sent Rakhi to Humayun

Rani Karnavati wrote to the Emperor to help Mewar and therefore, sent him a rakhi and sought his protection. In the meanwhile, Karnavati also wrote to Humayun, for help. She sent him a rakhi and sought protection. What is interesting is the fact that Babur, Humayun’s father had defeated King Rana Sangha which had a confederation of Rajput armies against him in the year 1527. Because the queen reached out to him for protection, the Emperor abandoned his milita

Yama and Yamuna

Popular folklore state that The Yamuna, the river, tied Rakhi to Lord Yama, the God of death. He was very moved by her gesture and therefore, granted her immortality. Additionally, Lord Yama declared that any brother who gets a rakhi tied by his sister and offers her protection, would be immortal.

Raksha Bandhan and birth of Santoshi Ma

Maa Santoshi is the Goddess who grants all desires. Unknown to many, she is lord Ganesha’s daughter and a unique incarnation of Mother Goddesses. It is believed that Santoshi Maa was born on Raksha Bandhan day when Jyoti, sister to Lord Ganesha came to visit him. Lord Ganesha organised a beautiful function when Jyoti came to tie him Rakhi. Lord Ganesha’s sons, Labh and Kshema were curious about the function and wanted to be a part of it.

How Santoshi Ma got her name?

Impressed by the whole ritual, Labha and Kshema wanted their own sister. Now Lord Ganesha is the one who grants all wishes and hence, could not refuse his sons. To grant their wish, a divine light emerged from Lord Ganesha and Riddhi-Siddhi and it took the form of a little girl. This is how Santoshi Maa was born. The devas and saints showered their blessings on this little girl. She then tied a Rakhi to her brothers.

Please follow and like us: