Thursday, April 14, 2016

Raksha Bandhan - "Rakhi" - Thread of love and protection...

www.raksha-bandhan.com/
Raksha Bandhan
Today, Hindu Holy festival of Raksha Bandhan was marked with the sublime love of sisters for their brothers accompanied with prayers for their well-being. In return, brothers vowed to protect the sister. Thus, the name Raksha (Protection) Bandhan (Knot). This legendary festival dates back to 6,000 years.
The best thing is, not just biological sisters who tie 'rakhi' on the brother's right arm - but also someone not biologically related, with some emotional bonding, like a neighbour, relative, even a batchmate or colleague! Raksha Bandhan also forges inter-religious harmony as many Muslim women tie the sacred thread on Hindu men addressing them as brothers. Compare this to the lonesome western world, where such social belongingness is non-existent and might be envied!
Thus beyond biological perspective; Raksha Bandhan enforces a platonic relationship between men and women. Aren't such festivals indeed pious and holy? Now, this festival is all the more significant in the modern world mired by insatiable greed, lust perpetrated by insane consumption and pornography, where man-woman relationship is reduced to animalistic base instincts of lust and hate! This is ultimately percolating into social relationships, wrecking havoc in society.
In such scenario, this festival of inter-gender pious love, where even strangers can forge such a platonic relationship is an evolved festival transcending mean confines of bodily desires -  into a spiritual plane of conscious human love-affection.
Such concept also resonates with most of world religions, not just Hinduism - where men and women are broadly addressed as brothers and sisters.
Thus on the eve of Raksha Bandhan, let us vow to look at women with respect and get their reverence in return - for no society can ever thrive without conducive man-woman relationship......

I dedicate this article to Meenakshi and Jina who happen to be my surrogate sisters.