OCCASION TO CELEBRATE, GET RAKSHA FROM GOD!

Transgressing faith, borders and communal boundaries, Raksha Bandhan marks the most lovable union of them all – that between a brother and a sister. And today, millions across the nation will partake in the simple yet significant ceremony of tying a thread on the wrist of a brother praying for his well-being and ask for protection for life.

And, there will be those ‘sisters’ like brotherless K Koya who have been tying rakhis to idols and munhbole bhai for want of blood-brothers. For girls without brothers, the festival only fetches the opportunity to bridge relationships with others who needn’t be blood-relatives. It could be a neighbour or simply a friend back in college who is “like a brother.”

Koya, on her part, has been tying a rakhi on the wrist of Lord Krishna’s idol year after year from the time she was 21. “Today, when I look back, I feel that it’s Shri Krishna himself who has protected me all my life,” recalls a 71-year-old Koya who will again be performing the ceremony complete with the aarti; the puja and tying of the rakhi on an idol of Lord Krishna once again. One hell of a way to procure state-of-the-art raksha this!

The nation’s abuzz with rakhi-related activities. Every nook and cranny of the cities markets seem to be aglitter with the most colourful of rakhis; gift sets customised for fastidious brothers and sisters.

The simplest of festivals that somehow touches upon members of every community – Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis and even Christians – continues to be a rage among siblings. “The tradition of the sister tying a rakhi on the wrist of the brother in lieu of a promise to protect them for life has been passed down generations together,” quips 27-year-old BMM student Nina Pohankar.

“Besides tying a rakhi to my brother Vipul, I also tie it to a Muslim neighbour Sohail who has been as good as a family member ever since I can remember,” she says. Notwithstanding the traditional ‘raksha’ bit, it’s the more practical aspect of Raksha Bandhan – the gift that comes in lieu of the rakhi – that interest most sisters. “Last year, I ‘earned’ more than Rs 4,200 from my brothers, three of my own and six cousins on Raksha Bandhan,” says 25-year-old MBA graduate Parul Sheth.

“This year, I’m buying costlier rakhis and have told all my brothers in advance that I expect the gifts to be in kind rather than cash. It makes the festival so much more fun that way. And, getting a surprise gift is a lot better than getting cash which is so boringly predictable,” says Parul.

Raksha Bandhan, besides providing siblings the opportunity to express their love and loyalty towards each other, fetches business for the monsoon hit. “After days on end of a bad patch owing to the rains that have affected business so badly, sales have stepped up due to Raksha Bandhan when we open up seasonal counters to sell rakhis and gifts for sisters,” says departmental-store owner Ratandeep Rathod.