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Legends Of Rakhi
India has always
been known for its colorful festivals and its celebratory fervor. Fresh flowers, exchange
of gifts, new clothes, meeting new and old friends and offering of sweets.
all these sum up a typical Indian celebration. Although the significance of
these festivals varies with each occasion, they are observed, without exception,
with great pomp and joy. The basic characteristics of Indian festivals are
the gaiety, enthusiasm, feasts, customs, rituals, and prayers to God. Some
of these festivals are related to family and relationship bonding. These are
the festivals that strengthen the bond of relationships through obeying of
various rituals and customs related to them. They keep the emotional bonding of
the family members. say, between husband and wife, in-laws, or brother and
sisters. alive and intact.
There
are many legends that signify the importance of the Rakhi in India.
Legend goes
that once Indra, the Pauranic King of the Heavens, while warring with the Daitya-Raaja
(demon king) was confronted with reverses. Humbled, he sought the advice
of Brihaspati, the Guru. On the auspicious occasion of Shravan Poornima, both
Shachee Devi or Indrani, the consort of Indra and Brihaspati, the Guru of the
Gods, tied silken amulets popularly known as Raksha on Indra. s wrist.
Subsequently, Indra vanquished the Daitya-Raaja and re-established sovereignty
over his celestial abode.
Other references to this simple ceremony are found in
the epic Mahabharata where Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava son, enquires from
Lord Krishna on how best he could guard himself against all impending evils
and catastrophes in the ensuing year. Krishna advises him to observe the
Raksha Bandhan ceremony.It is said
that at one time, Alexander. s wife approached the mighty Hindu adversary,
Puru, and sought assurance of her husband. s life by tying the Rakhi on
Puru. s hand. The story goes that just as Puru raised his hand to deliver a
mortal blow to Alexander, he saw the Rakhi and refrained from
striking.
In
yet another poignant instance, a Rajput princess sent a Rakhi to the Mughal
Emperor Humayun, enlisting his support against the onslaught of the Gujarat
Sultan. Though engaged elsewhere, Humayun, hastened to the rescue of his Rakhi sister
but to his bitter disappointment, found that the kingdom had been seized and
the princess had committed . jauhar. (suicide) to save her
honor.
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