Raksha Bandhan: also known as Rakhi, is an age-old tradition in India, that celebrates the profound relationship between brothers and sisters across the country as well worldwide with great pomp and enthusiasm. On the auspicious day, sisters tie a sacred thread called a “Rakhi” around the wrist of their brothers and prayers for their brother’s well-being, and in return, the brother gives gifts to his sister and promises to protect and support her throughout her life.
According to the Hindu calendar, it falls on the last day of the lunar calendar month of Shravan. In 2023, it will be celebrated on 30th August (Wednesday).
Raksha Bandhan
It is traditionally celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Shravana. This year, in 2023, the calculations bring us two possible dates: August 30th and August 31st. The discrepancy stems from variations in lunar calendars and regional observances. However, meticulous analysis and research indicate that the most auspicious and widely accepted date for 2023 is Wednesday, August 30th. However, the festival can also be celebrated the next day Thursday, August 31st, and the details about the same you will get to know in the next point.
According to Drik Panchang, Purnima Tithi (Full Moon) starts at 10:58 AM on Wednesday, Aug 30, 2023, and continues till 07:05 AM on Thursday, Aug 31, 2023. However, Bhadra is also taking place with the full moon and will end at 09:01 PM. It means the Auspicious timing of tying Rakhi will start after 09:01 PM on August 30th. But those who couldn’t observe the tying Rakhi ceremony at night can be tying Rakhi the next day on August 31, 2023, before 07.05 AM, because the full moon date ends at this time.
Raksha Bandhan is a traditional Hindu festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. The festival’s name comes from the Sanskrit words “Raksha” meaning “protection” and “Bandhan” meaning “bond” or “tie.”
One of the earliest references to Raksha Bandhan can be found in the Mahabharata, where Draupadi ties a thread on Krishna’s wrist to protect him from harm. In other Hindu texts, Raksha Bandhan is also associated with the god Vishnu and his wife, Lakshmi.
The origin of Raksha Bandhan goes as far as the era of Gods and Goddesses. According to a popular legend, Draupadi tied a piece of cloth on Lord Krishna’s wrist when he hurt his finger while fighting to kill the evil King Shishupal. Krishna, in return, promised to protect her.
Medieval history has another significant version about a brother’s promise to his sister. When under attack by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Rani Karnavati of Mewar sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun and sought help from him. Touched by the gesture, the Mughal ruler abandoned his military campaign and rushed to help the queen without wasting any time.
During the Partition of Bengal in 1905, Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsav – a mass Raksha Bandhan festival, to instil a feeling of togetherness and love between Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. It is known that he started this tradition as a counter to the efforts of the British of creating a divide between communities.
| Raksha Bandhan dates from 2024 to 2030 | ||
| Year | Date | Day |
| 2024 | August 19th | Monday |
| 2025 | August 9th | Saturday |
| 2026 | August 28th | Friday |
| 2027 | August 17th | Tuesday |
| 2028 | August 5th | Saturday |
| 2029 | August 23rd | Thursday |
| 2030 | August 13th | Tuesday |
Raksha Bandhan, an auspicious festival celebrated in India, involves a significant ritual known as the “pooja vidhi.” The pooja vidhi commences with the preparation of a small pooja thali containing a diya (oil lamp), roli (vermilion powder), rice grains, sweets, and Rakhi. Sisters perform an Aarti, waving the lamp in a circular motion in front of their brothers, and apply a tilak of roli on their foreheads. They then tie the Rakhi around the brother’s wrist, offering prayers for his well-being and prosperity.
In return, brothers give gifts to their sisters as a token of their love and promise to protect them from all adversities. The pooja vidhi creates a spiritual atmosphere, strengthening the bond between siblings and reinforcing the significance of Raksha Bandhan 2023 as a celebration of love and protection.
Among the Rajasthani and Marwari communities, there is a ritual to tie ‘Lumba Rakhi’ on the bangle of their brother’s wife. It is believed that since the wife is considered to be the better half, the ritual would be incomplete without her. Also, she will equally share her husband’s responsibility to ensure the well-being of his sister. This ritual is fast catching up to other Indian communities as well.
Every year, the Indian defense personnels also celebrate this festival in an unique way. Schools girls and women from the near by areas of the posting locations of the army personals or from areas nearby to the bases, tie rakhis to the personnels.
Raksha Bandhan Celebrations in Different Parts of India
While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in various parts of India, different regions mark the day in different ways.
In the state of West Bengal, this day is also called Jhulan Purnima. Prayers and puja of Krishna and Radha are performed there. Sisters tie rakhi to brothers and wish immortality. Political parties, offices, friends, and educational institutions celebrate this day with a new hope for a good relationship.
In Maharashtra, among the Koli community, the festival of Raksha Bandhan / Rakhi Pournima is celebrated along with Narali Pournima (coconut day festival). Kolis are the fishermen community of the coastal state. The fishermen offer prayers to Varuna, the Hindu god of the sea, to invoke his blessings, and throw coconuts into the sea as offerings to him. The girls and women tie rakhi on their brother’s wrist, as elsewhere.
In many regions of North India, it is a common practice to fly kites on the nearby occasions of Janamashtami and Raksha Bandhan. The locals buy kilometers of strong kite string, commonly called gattu door in the local language, along with a multitude of kites.
In Nepal, it is referred to as Janai Purnima or Rishitarpani, and involves a sacred thread ceremony. It is observed by both Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal. The Hindu men change the thread they wear around their chests (janai), while in some parts of Nepal girls and women tie rakhi on their brother’s wrists. The Raksha Bandhan-like brother sister festival is observed by other Hindus of Nepal during one of the days of the Tihar (or Diwali) festival.
The festival is observed by the Shaiva Hindus, and is popularly known in Newar community as Gunhu Punhi.
In Odisha, Raksha Bandhan is also called Rakhi Purnima / Gamha Purnima. A sister ties rakhi around her brother’s wrist as a mark of love and honour and the brother promises to protect his sister from all the difficulties. The name Gamha Purnima refers to the celebration on the same day of the birthday of Lord Balabhadra, considered the god of farming; farmers in Odisha tie rakhis to cattle on this day.
Gamha Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day (Poornima) in Shravan month in Odisha. In 2023, Gamha Purnima date is on August 30. It is observed as the birthday of Balabhadra (Baladeva), the eldest brother of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Nowadays, people also celebrate Gamha Purnima as Raksha Bandhan imitating the Rakhi festival which is celebrated in North India on the same day. In some regions cattle (cows and bullocks) are worshipped on Gamha Purnima. A major highlight of the festival is a sort of regional sport known as Gamha Diyan.
Raksha Bandhan Wishes
- May you always be safe and protected from harm. I love you, my dear brother. Happy Raksha Bandhan! I pray that our bond of love continues to grow stronger.
- May the bond of love between us always remain strong. Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan!
- I wish that this day brings you all the happiness and success in everything you do. Happy Raksha Bandhan Bhaiya.
- On this day, I want to let you know that you are the best brother in the world and I love you. Happy Raksha Bandhan Bhaiya.
- May your life be filled with happiness and good health. and you be successful in all your endeavors. Happy Raksha Bandhan my brothers!
- May you always be by each other’s side in good times and bad. Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May our bond of love continue to grow stronger with each passing year. Happy Raksha Bandhan to the best brother in the world!
- I pray that all your dreams and aspirations come true. You are always in my thoughts and prayers. I love you! I wish that this Raksha Bandhan brings you everything you desire in life.
- You are the most special person in my life and I pray that all your dreams come true. May you always be happy and healthy! Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May the protective thread of love that ties you together keep you safe from all harm. Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- I pray that God blesses you with all the happiness and success in life. Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May your brotherly bond be as strong as iron and never break in times of trouble. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May the love and bond that you share last a lifetime. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May God bless you and protect you always. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May this Raksha Bandhan be a special one for you and may it bring you all the happiness in the world.
- May your bond of love be strong and unbreakable. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May you always be by each other’s side in good times and bad. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May God shower his blessings on you and protect you always. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- Happy Raksha Bandhan, dear brother! I love you so much. You are my best friend and I care for you deeply. I pray that you will always be happy and healthy.
- May our bond of love and care never be broken. Happy Raksha Bandhan Bhai.
- May the pious occasion of Raksha Bandhan fill your life with happiness, luck, and prosperity!
- Sending lots of love your way on this special day! Happy Raksha Bandhan sister
- Wishing you all the joy and happiness that Raksha Bandhan brings!
- May this festival be a harbinger of good fortune for you and your loved ones!
- May the joy and happiness of Raksha Bandhan be with you always!
- May this special day bring lots of love, luck, and happiness into your life!
- Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan! May God bless you and keep you safe always!
- Wishing you all the happiness that Raksha Bandhan can bring! May you be blessed with good health, luck, and prosperity always!
- Sending you lots of love and good wishes on this special day! May you have a wonderful life ahead!
- Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan! Hope this festival of love strengthens the bond between us always!
- Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan! May this festival be a harbinger of good fortune for you and your loved ones!
- Sending my love and best wishes to you on this special day! Wishing you all the joy, happiness, and success in life!
- Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan! May the bond between us always remain strong and unbreakable!
- Thank you for always being there, Happy Raksha Bandhan Sister.
- You mean the world to me! I’m so grateful to have you in my life. Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan!
- Sending you lots of love and good wishes on this special day! May the joys and happiness of Raksha Bandhan be with you always!
- Wishing you all the best on this special day! May your life be filled with happiness, luck, and prosperity! Happy Raksha Bandhan.
- Wishing you a very happy Raksha Bandhan! May this festival of love bring lots of happiness and good luck into your life!
- I am so lucky to have you as my sister. You are always so kind and helpful, and I know I can always count on you. Happy Raksha Bandhan.
- Raksha Bandhan is a special time to celebrate our relationship, and I wish you all the happiness in the world.
- Happy Raksha Bandhan dear sister! Wishing you all the love and happiness in the world on this special day. You are my best friend and I cherish our bond deeply. May we always be there for each other in good times and bad. I love you from the bottom of my heart.
- Sending you lots of hugs and kisses on this Raksha Bandhan. May our relationship continue to blossom in the years to come. Wishing you all the best on this special day!
- Happy Raksha Bandhan, dear sister! I wish you all the happiness in the world on this special day. You are the best sister anyone could ever hope for, and I feel so lucky to have you in my life.
- I cherish our relationship more than anything else in the world, and I promise to always be there for you, no matter what. I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I pray that all your dreams and aspirations come true. Happy Raksha Bandhan sister.
- Raksha Bandhan is a special occasion to celebrate the beautiful bond of love and affection between brothers and sisters. It is a day to cherish the wonderful moments we have spent together and to create many more memories in the years to come. Wishing you a very Happy day, dear sister!
- May our bond of love continue to grow stronger with each passing year. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I cherish our relationship more than anything else in the world. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan, dear sister!
- I pray to God that He blesses you with all the happiness and success in the world. You deserve nothing less than the best, dear sister. May all your dreams and aspirations come true. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- On this day, I want to thank you for being the best sister anyone could ever hope for. You have always been there for me, no matter what, and I cherish our relationship more than anything else in the world. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- May this day be the beginning of a beautiful journey for you, filled with happiness and success. You deserve nothing less than the best in life, dear sister. I pray that all your dreams come true. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- On this Raksha Bandhan, let us celebrate our unique relationship and cherish the wonderful moments we have spent together. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.
- To my dearest brother, I don’t know where I would be without you. You’ve always been there for me, through thick and thin. I can’t imagine my life without you by my side. On this day, I want to let you know how much I love and appreciate you. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan!
- I am so grateful to have you as my brother, and I will always cherish our bond. To my wonderful brother, I hope you know how much you mean to me. You’re not just my brother, but my best friend and confidante. I am so lucky to have you in my life, and I promise to always be there for you.
- On this auspicious day, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You’re always my hero, and I look up to you in everything. Thanks for always being by my side, dear brother.
- To the best brother in the world, I hope you know how special you are to me. Wishing you all the happiness in the world. I feel so blessed to have a brother like you. You’ve always been there for me, and I know I can always count on you.
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