Raksha Bandhan

There's no stronger bond than and brother and sisters. They might fight on any given occasion or tease each other but when it comes to love and support, no one does it better. Every year, to honour this beautiful relationship, we celebrate Raksha Bandhan. 

A festival where a sister ties 'Rakhi' on her brother's wrist and in return the brother promises to protect her from evil. Rakhi is a strand of thread that signifies and strengthens the brother and sister bond, that's why it's called Raksha Bandha. This year the festival falls on August 22. 

For the unversed, Rakhi also comprises a bunch of rituals that lead up to the main ceremony of tieing Rakhi. There are a few elements that are a must and without them, Raksha Bandhan cannot be concluded. 

Let us tell you what are those:

The Thali: 

A thali is a plate only big in size. In today's time thalis have been glamorised to match the energy and spirit of the festival. Thali is important as all other components for Raksha Bandhan are kept in it. 

A  Lamp or Diya for Aarti: 

On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the sister performs aarti for her brother which comprises a lamp (Diya). The lamp represents holiness and purity, without it Raksha Bandhan is incomplete.

Roli (Red powder) or Sandal Powder:

Having any of these powders is important because the ceremony starts with the sister placing a teeka or tilak on her brother's forehead. Applying tilak is the first step in Raksha Bandhan. 

Akshat or Whole Rice: 

Rice plays an important part in any ritual or puja in the Hindu community. After applying the tilak, the sister places rice on the tilak which signifies luck. Keep in mind that the rice should not be broken. 

Tieing the Rakhi:

After applying tilak, rice and performing the aarti, finally, the rakhi is tied on the wrist of the brother by his sister. The rakhi can be a strand of thread or in today's time, you will find many colourful rakhis with glitter and jewels on them catering to one's needs. Preferably, a red coloured rakhi is considered since the colour is considered auspicious in the Hindu religion.

Sweets: 

And finally sweets! Yes. sweets are the last part of the ceremony ending on a sweet note. After everything is done, both the brother and sister feed each other sweets.