Raksha Bandhan 2023: How Indians celebrate festival beyond tying rakhi

India's rich cultural tapestry is woven with a myriad of festivals, each carrying its own unique traditions and significance. Raksha Bandhan, the festival celebrating sibling bonds is a perfect example of this diversity. While the core essence of the festival remains the same - the expression of love between brothers and sisters - its regional variations add a colourful twist to the celebrations.

2 things you need to know

• Raksha Bandhan celebrates sibling love with diverse cultural traditions.
• Regional variations add colourful twists to this cherished festival.

Avani Avittam in South India

Raksha Bandhan is usually not celebrated in many parts of South India. Rakhi Purnima is marked as Avani Avittam in parts of Southern India. The festival is for the male members of the family. On the full moon night in the month of Sawan, people celebrate the festival by taking a dip in the water. While performing this ritual, they seek atonement for their past sins. A holy thread or the janeu is tied across the body after the ritual.

(Rakhi Purnima is marked as Avani Avittam in parts of Southern India | Image: X)

The old janeu is replaced by a new one. While tying the new thread, one promises to perform good deeds in the future. Scholars commence the reading of the Yajur Veda on this day, a practice carried on for the next 6 months. In Tamil Nadu, the fourth day of the Pongal festival is known as Kaanum or Kanu Pongal. On this day, women perform a ritual called Kanu Pidi in the name of their brothers.

Cultural symphony of celebration

Across the rest of India, Raksha Bandhan intertwines with various local festivities. In Karnataka, Nag Panchami coincides with Raksha Bandhan, where the act of tying rakhis is extended to serpents, embodying protection from their potent venom. Telugu-speaking states embrace Rakhi Purnima, while in Maharashtra and coastal areas, Narali Poornima is observed with reverence.

On this day, the sea is honoured, and fishermen offer coconuts as tokens of gratitude. Madhya Pradesh and Bihar mark the agricultural season's beginning with Kajari Purnima, while West Bengal dedicates the day to Lord Krishna and Radha in Jhulan Purnima.

From the peaks of Uttarakhand to the shores of Gujarat, the diverse celebrations continue. Jandhyam Purnima is celebrated in Uttarakhand, where sacred threads are worn by men as a symbol of their faith. In Odisha, Gamha Purnima honours cows and buffaloes, while Pavitropana in parts of Gujarat centres around the worship of Lord Shiva.

As Raksha Bandhan approaches, India embraces its unity in diversity by commemorating sibling love in myriad ways. The festival's regional adaptations remind us that while traditions evolve, the bonds of love remain eternal and transcend borders and cultural nuances.