The Hindu festival celebrates the bond of affection between brothers and sisters.
“Raksha” means to protect and “Bandhan” means bondage.
Everyone knows Raksha Bandhan as sisters tying a Rakhi (string or bracelet) on the brother’s wrist, which unpacks the occasion as a celebration of acceptance and promises to always be there to protect the special bond between the two people.
The interpretation of the festival in today’s world.
The festival is traditionally linked to the bond of siblings, specifically between a brother and a sister, however in the modern interpretation of this festival and ritual of sacred thread tying, one can shift this to any bond, whether it be between two sisters, husband and wife, Guru, and disciple or even friends.
The intention should remain the same, as to honour the bondage of love, care, and protection always.
The messaging to our children.
This is an important concept to instil in children from an early age. Valuing, respecting, and caring for relationships is an important part of life. The message of the festival to implant in our kids is not to just tie the Rakhi’s and get presents, but to help them to grow with the understanding and experience of building a nurturing relationship by instilling the values of positivity and purity in thought, word, and deed.
Gifting on Raksha Bandhan
Children love to be spoilt; they cannot wait for special occasions to get lovely gifts. It is all nice to get lovely kid branded items and toys, but how can you make the gift and occasion more linked?
Meera4kids has a wonderful Raksha Bandhan puzzle that would make a perfect gift that highlights the festival and covers the educational side of playing with toys.
To get yours, pop on over to our online store and order yours now.