The Rakhi festival, or the ‘Raksha Bandhan’ festival, is one of the most awaited ceremonies of India, marking the importance of the wonderful bonding between a brother and his sister. The sacred thread or ‘Rakhi’ tied by the sister on her brother’s wrist gives the festival its name. And Rakhi seems incomplete without the special Rakhi gifts, exchanged between the siblings as symbols of love, care and respect.
It is these rakhi threads which makes the bond that exists between the two of you even stronger. Early in the morning after taking bath, sisters offer their prayers for the well-being and longevity of their brothers. It is this rakhi thread which strengthens the bond that exists between you and your siblings. Moreover, in this fast paced world you can even have the luxury of getting it delivered to your home.
In History and in the epics, we find numerous references to the Rakhi festival, which shows that it is an ancient Indian festival forming one of the numerous foundations of the glorious Indian culture and traditions. Some most popular references are:
- In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna was wounded while fighting King Shishupal, and Draupadi had torn a piece of her sari and tied on the bleeding wrist of Lord Krishna. This affection and care of Draupadi moved the lord, who promised to be bonded to her like a brother, and pay his debts whenever he can. Years later, when the Pandavas lost Draupadi to the Kauravas in a game of dice and the Kauravas were undraping her sari Lord Krishna came to her rescue by making her sari infinitely long through divine powers.
- When the Rajputs were fighting the invasions of the Sultan of Gujarat- Bahadur Shah, Rani Karnavati- the widowed queen of the King of Chittor, had sent a Rakhi to the Emperor of India of that time- Emperor Humayun. This gesture was symbolic of her making the Emperor her brother, and asking her brother to come over and protect his sister, that is, her. Touched by this gesture, the emperor left with his troops for Chittor to help the Rajput troupes fight the Sultan’s invasions.
The Rakhi festival is most pompously celebrated by the Hindus of Northern India. The significance of the Rakhi thread is what makes the festival so important, especially for the all the brothers and sisters. A sacred thread, called the ‘Rakhi’, is tied by the sister on her brother’s wrist. When she ties the Rakhi, she prays for her brother’s healthy and prosperous life. The brother meanwhile, promises to protect her sister from all odds all throughout her life. After the Rakhi is tied, the brother gifts her sister her favourite gift items, symbolic of loving her and taking care of her always.
Customarily, it’s the brother who gifts his sister. But nowadays, even sisters gift their brothers too! Thus, the special Rakhi gifts are always on a high demand as soon as the festival is around the corner, because all brothers and sisters start hunting for the best and unique Rakhi gifts in the market! Moreover, you definitely want to avoid the huge festive rush which makes shopping simply impossible for you. For all such times, it is best to shop online where you will get hordes of option to choose from and at the same time can be delivered at the luxury of your home. However, relax- numerous Rakhi gift for brother and as well as sister are easily available in all gift shops. You can find online Rakhi gifts for brother and sister as well, in all leading online gift selling websites.
