Rakhi Utsav : Celebrating Relations, Cultures, and Harmony

The term “Utsav” is derived from a Sanskrit term that denotes a joyous occasion, and when you think of Utsav, Rakhi celebrations will be the first thing which comes to your mind. This euphoric feeling could be the result of the excitement which comes with buying rakhi for brother or the anticipation for the rakhi gifts you are going to receive. However, all these are secondary things because rakhi celebrations are first and foremost about love where you go the extra mile to make your sibling feel valued and prioritize them over everything else. Therefore, rakhi pays tribute to those unselfish gestures and little acts of love which make your relationship so special.

Rakhi in different states and cultures

While the most ideal way of celebrating rakhi includes tying the rakhi thread on your brother’s wrist and exchanging Rakhi gifts, there are several other traditions which have found their way around Rakhi making it a communal Utsav/festival. With different communities having diverse beliefs, there have been both minor and major alterations in the way this festival is being celebrated. In Maharashtra, there’s Narali Poornima which is celebrated alongsidewith fishermen throwing coconuts in the sea to offer prayers to Lord Vishnu.

In south India, rakhi is replaced with Avani Attam, with the sacred Brahmin thread being replaced with a new one after Brahmin men take a dip in the water to redeem themselves of their past sins. Similarly, in West Bengal and parts of Odisha, before the rakhi tying ceremony, people visit the temple to worship Ram and Sita and only then proceed with the rakhi ceremony. All these traditions and rites on Rakhi may not come close to the ideal celebration, but all of them celebrate the relationships which positively affect our lives.

Rakhi Mahotsav

However, that’s not all, rakhi celebrations have evolved and are even incorporated in many socio-economic movements which were promotes the same sentiment behind rakhi. One such incident recorded in history dates back to 1905 when Rabindranath Tagore introduced Rakhi Mahotsav to remedy the circumstances that threatened the partition of Bengal. Inspired by the spirit of brotherhood that goes beyond blood ties, he termed it as “Rakhi Mahotsav” which means a grand rakhi celebration. Thus, foregoing those private celebrations, this Nobel laureate went a step ahead by encouraging people from different religions to participate in it and promote unity. Thus, huge crowds of both Hindus and Muslims turned to participate in this celebration which encompasses harmony between brother and sisters, families, neighbors and even communities. Even to this date, Shantiniketan, Tagore’s institute follows the same tradition.

Thus, Raksha Bandhan is an auspicious festival which is a celebration of life and love itself. Thus, this Utsav celebrates the love between a brother and sister who are bound by blood and even between soldiers on the border and those females who choose to commemorate their bravery by tying rakhi on their hands. To facilitate this love that needs to be expressed on rakhi, you can always go beyond the usual Rakhi gifts with online rakhi gifts which can be delivered to your sibling’s doorstep and surprise them. To enjoy this joyous occasion, make sure that neither distance or any other social constraints limit you from making the most of the rakhi Utsav, wherever you are.

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