Rakhi Festival

About
The festival of Rakhi finds its essence and significance in the relationship shared between a brother and a sister. Like any other Indian festival Raksha Bandhan is an occasion that joins families and loved ones together. The celebration of rakhi is the celebration of togetherness and love. The importance given to the sibling relationship is highlighted with the celebration of the festival of raksha bandhan. It is the affection, admiration, love, fondness and respect that is the meaning of rakhi festival. On the day of Rakhi, brothers and sisters pray for each other's well-being and happiness. The meaning of the word raksha bandhan is the 'a bond of protection' as brothers pledge to protect their sisters from all harms and troubles and the sister prays for the protection of her brother from all evil.

The festival of Rakhi falls on the Shravan Purnima (full moon day of shravan month) that generally comes in the month of August. On this day the sisters tie the rakhi thread on the brother's wrist and prays for their well-being and the brothers promise to honor and protect their sisters in thick and thin.

The Significance
The festival of rakhi has undergone many changes. Although today rakhi celebrations center around the brother-sister relationship, it was not always so. In the olden days the rakhi thread was tied for protection or raksha. Anybody, a wife, a daughter or a mother could tie this rakhi thread. The Rishis tied rakhi on the wrist of the people who came seeking for their blessings. The sages also use to tie this sacred thread to themselves to safe guard them from evil. This day is generally a day when all sins end and blessings are showered on all.

Although rakhi signifies the bond between a brother and a sister but it is also a symbol of warmth and compassion shared between the communities as a whole. Some people tie rakhi to neighbors and close friends signifying the special bond shared between the two.

This day of rakhi reflects the silent pledge of morality, spirituality and respect to values and Indian culture. In every part of India, rakhi day is celebrated in different styles and ways. As people reach out on this day this raksha bandhan becomes a day that binds families in the oneness of this festival.

The Legend

The legend in the Bhavishya Puran
This legend describes a war between the Gods and the Demons. The demon King Brutra was advancing and the Gods lead by lord Indra, were on the defeating end. The king of Gods, Indra approached Guru Brihaspati to seek a solution. Brihaspati asked Indra to tie a sacred thread on his wrist, powered by the sacred mantras on the Shravan Purnima. Lord Indra's Queen Sachi also called Indrani, empowered the thread and tied it on to his hand on the rakhi poornima day. The power of the sacred thread called Raksha helped the Gods to victory.

The legend of King Bali and Goddess Laxmi
Another legend associated to this day is of King Bali and Goddess Laxmi. Demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had promised to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Laxmi wished to be with her lord back in her abode. She went to Bali disguised as a Brahmin woman to seek refuge till her husband came back.

During the Shravan Purnima celebrations, Laxmiji tied the sacred thread to the King. Upon being asked she revealed who she was and why she was there. The king was touched by her goodwill for his family and her purpose and requested the Lord to accompany her. He sacrificed all he had for the Lord and his devoted wife.

Thus the rakhi festival is also called Baleva that is Bali Raja's devotion to the Lord. It is said that since then it has been a tradition to invite sisters in Shravan Purnima for the thread tying ceremony or the Raksha Bandhan.

Yama and the Yamuna
It is said that the Raksha Bandhan was a ritual followed by Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) and his sister Yamuna. Yamuna tied rakhi to Yama and gave him immortality. Yama was so moved by the serenity of the occasion that he declared that whoever gets a rakhi tied from his sister and promised her protection will become immortal.

Raksha Bandhan In the Epics
Raksha Bandhan festival is mentioned in Mahabharata when Lord Krishna advised Yudhishthir to perform the ceremony to protect himself and the army from the dangers of the war. It is said that Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas tied rakhi to her grandson Abhimanyu and Draupadi to lord Krishna.

Rakhi Recipes

Rakhi recipes the delicious treat to the beautiful festival of rakhi. Treat your brother to some mouth watering delicacies with these simple and great rakhi recipes.All the rakhi recipes provided here can be prepared with the minimum preparations. From sweets, to snacks these rakhi recipes will definitely bring praise to all sisters. So get ready to treat your brothers to some of the most exquisite dishes for the festival of raksha bandhan.

Gujjas

To make 20 Gujias

Ingredients:

Flour: 250 grams
Khoya: 500 grams
Raisins: a few
Almonds: 100 grams (finely chopped)
Cooking oil: 3 tablespoon for kneading the dough and a considerable amount for deep-frying the Gujias
Water: 100 ml
Sugar: 250 grams

Method:

Mix the oil and flour thoroughly so that it reaches a binding consistency. Add some water and knead the entire mixture, lightly. When it forms a soft dough, set it aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Fry the khoya in cooking oil till it becomes light brown and then mix the sugar in it completely. Add almonds and raisins and fry for a few more minutes. Remove this from the stove and let it cool. Make small thick chapattis out of the kneaded dough. Fill half of each chapatti with the khoya mixture and fold the chapatti over, sealing the sides of the chapatti, to ensure that the khoya is safely wrapped within. Make the sealing secure by pinching the edges with your fingertips. Deep-fry these gujias until they becomes light golden brown, keeping the flame low. Take out the gujias and place them on brown paper or newspaper for the oil to drain away. Serve hot or store it in an airtight container to feed your loved ones on Rakhi day.


Kheer

To serve 4 to 5 people

Ingredients:

Milk: 1 litre
Rice: 200 grams (soaked for ½ an hour before cooking)
Sugar: to taste
Cashew nuts: a few (finely chopped)
Cardamom: 4 to 5 whole
Raisins: a few (soak for a few minutes before adding)

Method:

Wash and drain the rice. Soak in water for ½ hour. The boil milk and add drained rice. Simmer on low heat for 1-1/2 hours. When the rice is cooked and the mixture gets thick and creamy, add sugar and stir well. Remove from heat. Garnish it with cashew nuts, cardamoms and raisins. Serve it hot or cold to and spread the sweetness of love on Rakhi.

Rava Laddu

Ingredients:

3 cups of Rava (Semolina)
3 tbsp Dry fruits (almonds, cashew, pistas or walnuts)
3 tsp Ghee
3-4 tsp Milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp Desiccated Coconut
3 to 4 stands of Saffron
2 to 3 Cardamoms(crushed)

Method:

Drop saffron strands in a cup of milk and set it aside. Heat Rava with ghee in a heavy bottom pan and stir till it changes colour. Then add nuts, coconut and cardamom. Keep on stirring. When you get to feel the aroma rise, add sugar and stir for 3 to 10 mins. Now pour on the saffron-flavoured milk and remove from heat. After the mixture cools down a bit, grease palms with oil and make small balls out of it. For decoration, you can either add one dry fruit each in the middle of each laddu or cover it with silver foil.

Rakhi Thali

The best part of the rakhi festival is the traditions and customs associated with it. The rakhi thali is similar to the traditional thali used for pooja of different deities. Generally a rakhi thali will contain a diya, roli or tika, rice, sandalwood, and incense sticks. On the rakhi thali the rakhi threads are kept along with the moli.

Today there are many types of rakhi thalis available in the market. The pooja plate or thali can be of silver, brass or simply steel the choice is yours. You will also find readymade fixed containers and stands for placing the different things on the pooja thali. You will also find matching to the pattern of your rakhi thali incense stick stands and diya holders.

There are many ways to decorate your rakhi thali. With our decoration ideas and your creativity combined together you can get yourself a wonderful rakhi thali. To start with select a brass, silver or silver plated rakhi thali as it is considered to be very auspicious. One very important thing to be kept in mind while selecting a thali is that neither it should be very big or very small. After the rakhi thali selection make a Swastika sign in the middle that is a symbol of Lord Ganesha.

Now you need to arrange three small containers for keeping roli, rice and water. Along with this you'll also require a diya and an insence stick stand. The other main ingredients of the rakhi is the rakhi thread itself and the flowers. Keep these two items on the rakhi thali itself. As far as the sweets are concerned you can put them on a separate dish.

Some people also use Beatle leaves in place of the containers to give a traditional look to the thali. Beatle leaves are also considered to be auspicious. To give a festive look to your thali you can put a banana leaf on an ordinary thali and arrange all your pooja ingredients on it.

The other option to make your rakhi thali look attractive is by placing a red and yellow bandhani cloth and decorating it with a golden lace or gota. One should be extra careful that the diya and burning incense sticks doesn't come in direct contact with the cloth.

Even your rakhi gift can be displayed in a grand style on a thali and presented to your brother. So make the celebrations of this rakhi a memorable and happy day to remember.
 

Thanks to h t t p : / / w w w . v i r t u a l r a k h i . c o m