The most well-known celebrations of people of the Hindu group, Raksha Bandhan can be described as the day that honors the bonds between brothers and sister. In English the word ‘ Raksha Bandhan means ‘the bond of protection, obligation , or care’. In accordance with the Hindu calendar, the festival of Raksha Bandhan occurs on the final day in the lunar month Shravan. The year 2022 will be the one in which Raksha Bandhan will be observed on August 11th (Thursday); Muhurat to tie Rakhi is set to take place from 10:38 AM to 07:05 am.
Raksha Bandhan History and Significance
The history of Raksha Bandhan dates back as far as the time of the gods and goddesses. According to a legend that is popular, Draupadi tied a piece of cloth to Krishna’s wrist after his finger was injured when he was fighting to kill the wicked King Shishupal. Krishna was in turn offered to guard her.
Medieval history contains a different version of a brother’s vow to his younger sister. In the midst of a siege from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Rani Karnavati of Mewar sent the Rakhi to the Emperor Humayun and sought assistance from Humayun. In awe of the gesture, the Mughal ruler resigned his military expedition and went to aid the queen without delay.
At the time of the Partition of Bengal in 1905, Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsav, a major Raksha Bandhan festival, to create a sense of unity and affection in the relationship between Hindus as well as Muslims from Bengal. It is said that he began this tradition to counter the attempts to British authorities British in creating a gap between different communities.
Raksha Bandhan Celebrations throughout India
In this celebration, the girl applies the tilak of her husband’s forehead. She then performs his aarti and then wraps an Rakhi to his wrist to mark their bond of love. In return, the brother offers special presents to his sister and promises to care for her and be there for her in any circumstance.
In people belonging to the Rajasthani or Marwari communities in India, there is a tradition to tie the word ‘Lumba Rakhi‘ on the bangles of the wife of their brother. The belief is that because the wife is thought to be the best half this ritual is incomplete without her. Additionally, she is expected to take on the responsibility of husband to protect the health of his spouse. This tradition is rapidly getting to other Indian communities too.
Places to Observe Raksha Bandhan in India
- Delhi
- Haryana
- Punjab
- Uttar Pradesh
Other Holidays in August 2021
| Event / Festival | Day / Date | Holiday Type |
| Independence Day | Monday 15-Aug-2022 | Gazetted Holiday |
| Parsi New Year’s Day (Nauraz) | Tuesday 16-Aug-2022 | Public Holiday |
| Muharram (Ashura) | Tuesday 9-Aug-2022 | Gazetted Holiday |
| Onam | Tuesday 30-Aug-2022 | Restricted Holiday |
| Janmashtami (Vaishnav) | Friday 19-Aug-2022 | Gazetted Holiday |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Wednesday 31-Aug-2022 | Restricted Holiday |
Year-Wise Raksha Bandhan Observances
| YEAR | DAY | DATE | Event/Festival |
| 2015 | Sat | 29-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2016 | Thu | 18-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2017 | Mon | 7-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2018 | Sun | 26-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2019 | Thu | 15-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2020 | Mon | 3-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2021 | Sun | 22-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2022 | Thur | 11-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2023 | Wed | 30-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2024 | Mon | 19-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
| 2025 | Sat | 9-Aug | Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) |
Final Words
Raksha Bandhan festival is observed during Shravana month in the month of the full moon or Purnima day. The ideal timing for tying Rakhi to someone on Raksha Bandhan will be during Aparahna which is the time of late afternoon, according the Hindu calendar. If Aparahna time isn’t accessible, and you are not able to find it, then Pradosh timing is a good option for rituals associated with Raksha Bandhan.
Raksha Bandhan rituals should not be conducted in Bhadra. Bhadra is a shady time that must be avoided at any auspicious activity. Many Hindu sacred texts, like Vratraj suggest to stay clear of Bhadra when it is the best time when you tie Rakhi on the Raksha Bandhan celebration.
It is important to note that Bhadra is predominant during the early part of Purnima Tithi. Therefore, one must be patient and wait until Bhadra to pass before beginning any work that is believed to be auspicious. It is believed that in North India it is customary to tie Rakhi early in the morning, but this may not be the best time to tie it. The Drik Panchang team believes it could be due to inexperience. If such information is readily available , it is best not to tie Rakhi at Bhadra.
Certain sources suggest avoiding Bhadra Mukha and instead perform a Rakhi ceremony on Bhadra Punchha if it has to be performed in Bhadra early in the morning. Our team was however unsuccessful in finding any authoritative source to support this idea.
