A Sacred Knot

By Anand Jayanti 19 August 2009 118 views 3 Comments

Though Rakshabandhan has just recently passed us, making this piece in some sense timely, I feel that the sentiment it embodies should be appreciated eternally, and that the value it instills should be practiced every day. It is to that end that I wish to invoke once again the significance of this great tradition.

So what does Rakshabandhan mean? Well, it means funny-colored bracelets for us guys and smiles and pictures and hugs for the girls - perhaps a couple of moments of awkward ritual, bearing feelings uniquely and almost exclusively understood by our generation. Apart from all of that, though, there’s a palpable ambiance of unity embracing the family that we also understand, whether that means brother and sister, or encircles a group of many close friends.

In India, we portray our values visually. Just as we bend to touch the feet of our elders when we seek their blessings, our sister ties a knot at our wrist to show her firm confidence in us. And similarly, we wear it to show our self-inspired obligation, or bandhan, to fulfill our duties as brothers and protectors; vowing to be a strong fist when our duty calls and a soft hand when she needs one, conveyed through the term raksha.

Rakhis have traditionally embodied that sacred bond between brother and sister, but today, they have the capacity to mean a lot more. Rabindranath Tagore began a practice of Rakhi Utsavs in 1905, in which rakhis were tied to neighbors, friends, and loved ones in an effort to bring the entire community together in harmony. Such an action of innocent but convicted love and faith can bear significance to the neighborhoods we live in today as well. Indeed, brotherhood and sisterhood and camaraderie are more necessary now than they ever have been, as the emergence of such issues as faith and nationality and belief as agents of division have endangered the colorless, origin-less, religion-less bond of love from potentially forming between us.

It’s also interesting to note that the stories that attempt to describe this tradition’s inception weave the bond of unity between all kinds of individuals. Whether between Lord Indra and his wife Shachi, or Queen Padmini and Emperor Humayun, whose story represents a long-standing tradition between Mughals and Rajputs; whether between Lord Yama and his sister Yamuna, or the ever-famous account of Draupadi and Krishna, we see that the relationship between two individuals - whether siblings, friends, neighbors in empire, or gods in the celestial courts - does not determine the appropriateness of tying a rakhi, but is rather defined by the decision to do so. That’s where the question “How can you wear a rakhi if you don’t even have a sister?” loses meaning. Rakhis do not simply affirm relationships - they create them.

The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh recently organized an unusual project in Virginia in the spirit of this very notion. Volunteers rallied community youngsters and traveled to local police stations and firehouses with the objective of showing their appreciation for the officers’ service and bravery by having the kids tie the rakhi for them. Even though the project fell on a Sunday, “five cops who were off duty drove back to the police station to receive their rakhis.” They later “thanked the kids for thinking about them” and rewarded them by giving them a tour of the fire truck and explaining to the kids their services². The power of honest actions and the expression of love and appreciation prove unwavering, just as Tagore showed us a century ago.

Rakshabandhan is a hallmark time to observe, as it allows us to re-invite and bring to light again those subtle bonds between family members that may be buried all in a day’s work. But at the same time, Rakshabandhan expands the definition of family. By expressing faith and love for the stranger, we arouse in them a similar spirit, a spirit of responsibility to his or her fellow human being.

Such a uniting force is the festival of Rakshabandhan - such a unique celebration within the world’s cultures - that it is only right that we share it, with pride and with a vision towards unity. That is the mission of today’s Rakshabandhan. That is where we fulfill our call of duty as Indians in today’s world, striving to make real Tagore’s vision of universal amity.

Sources

1. Meaning & Significance of Rakshabandhan, http://www.raksha-bandhan.com/meaning-significance-of-raksha-bandhan.html

2. India Interacts, http://hssusa.indiainteracts.com/2008/08/21/hss-celebrates-rakshabandhan-with-american-firefighters-and-police-officers/

Photo Courtesy: Mrinmay Bhattacharjee