Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond of love, care and respect between brothers and sisters. Traditionally, sisters perform rituals and tie the rakhi, a sacred thread, around the wrist of their brothers and pray for their long life and health. The thread which represents a sister’s love for her brother also symbolises a bond of protection. Orissa POST interacts with some city-based youngsters to learn about their views of this festival focused on siblings.
Kirti Mallik, an assistant professor of Geology at Utkal University, said, “Rakhi Purnima is also known as Gamha Purnima in Odisha and it has special significance in our tradition. Goddess Subhadra ties the thread of love on her two celestial brothers, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannath, at Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. Srimandir is a holy place where a sister is worshipped along with her siblings. The two brothers are adored as a friend, philosopher and guide by their sister and, in turn, the brothers are conscious of their responsibility towards their sister. My sister Prasamita is my best friend and I share every happening in my life with her. She also does the same. I do not believe that I will have to protect her just because she has tied the rakhi on me. Brothers may be younger or elder; they play a very crucial role in their sisters’ life. I think Rakhi is one of those festivals that brings us together, especially those brothers and sisters who live far from each other.”
“There is no greater bond than that between siblings,” said Jnanendra, an MBA student. “Every year, brothers promise to protect their sisters from danger. But today’s generation of girls is different. They are able to take care of themelves. My sister Mamuni is close to me. We stay miles apart but the love and care we have for each other never fades. Every year, I eagerly wait for a parcel of rakhi and chocolates from her. A brother will always stand by his sister whether or not she ties a rakhi.”
Saphik, a student, said, “I have respect for all traditions. However, Rakhi is not originally an Odia festival. It is an import from Hindi films. The Rakhi tradition was not prevalent in our father’s time. Of course, my sister has been tying the rakhi around my wrist since childhood. Brothers invariably try to protect sisters even without a rakhi tradition. In my view, it is good to celebrate rakhi as a reminder of sibling love. You can spend some quality time with your sister on the day and bring back the nostalgic memories of childhood.”
Bratati Baral, OP
