Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Purnima

Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Purnima is a festival of the Indian subcontinent that celebrates the bond between siblings - especially sisters and brothers.

Raksha Bandhan : Meaning

Raksha means Protection

and

Bandhan means Bond.

Raksha Bandhan means- the bond of protection, love and care.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on Rakhi Purnima.

Purnima means "full moon night".

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the tithi of the last day of the Hindu calendar month of Shravana- the full-moon of Shravana month.

It usually falls in the English calendar month of August. 

Rakhi - a thread - is tied on the wrist of the sibling. 

Sweets are fed, prayers are offered, and gifts are exchanged on the occasion.

The celebrations depend on the family customs.

Rakha Bandhan has deep connection with India's culture and history.

There are many references in ancient texts, and even in movies.

Can marketing advertisements regarding products like gold jewellery, automobiles, clothes, chocolates etc. be far behind?

The country's leading newspaper has also been depicting Raksha Bandhan on its masthead.

The Times of India has depicted today as Raksha Bandhan.

Date of Celebration- 30 or 31st?

There has been a confusion as to which date to celebrate Rakhi Purnima.

Two dates were given this year- August 30 and 31st.

Most calendars like the Odia calendar- by "Kohenoor Press Sankhyepa Panjika" had August 30 as Raksha Bandhan. Incidentally, Kohenoor Press shares August 30 as Raksha Bandhan and August 31 as (Gamha) Purnima.

I knew that Gamha Purnima or Rakhi Purnima and Raksha Bandhan are celebrated on the same day and date.

Shree Balabhadra's Birthday

Rakhi Purnima or Gamha Purnima has special significance for Odisha as it is the birthday of Shree Balabhadra or Baladevjew, the elder brother of Shree Jagannatha. 

Last year's celebration at Shree Baladevjew Temple

In Odisha, farmers worship and tie rakhis to their cattle. 

After seeing two different dates- Aug 30 & 31st for #RakshaBandhan, I tried to find @JagannathaDhaam Temple calendar.

Thanks to Sebayat Sri Biswanath Samantara for sharing list for this month- Aug-Sept celebrations🙏

Each month’s list is by @SJTA_Puri🙏

Raksha Bandhan- Aug 31 pic.twitter.com/OCjUlHPX57

— Anita Sabat (@anitaexplorer) August 30, 2023

Date As Per Shreemandira - 31st August

After seeing the different dates mentioned in the said August 2023 Odia calendar, I tried to find the calendar for the Puri Shree Jagannatha Temple.

Thanks to Sri Biswanath Samantara, sebayat of Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri, for sharing the list of festivals for monthly celebrations for August-September. Each month's list is published by the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) with dates from Sankranti to Sankranti. 

As per the Shreemandira calendar of the Shree Jagannatha Dham, August 31st is the date of Raksha Bandhan celebration this year.

Online Research Information - 31st August

I tried finding online too-

This year, on August 30, because of Bhadra Kaal that is considered inauspicious, August 31 is the date for Rakhi Purnima as per the following table shared online-

Raksha Bandhan Event	Date & Time
Purnima Tithi or Full Moon Begins	August 30 2023, 10:58 PM
Purnima Tithi or Full Moon Ends	August 31, 7:05 AM
Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Poonch	August 30, 5:30 PM to 6:31 PM
Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Mukha	August 30, 6:31 PM to 8:11 PM
Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Kaal Ends	At 9:01 PM
Raksha Bandhan Shubh Muhurat	30 August, After 9:01 PM

Good activities are not supposed to be done during the inauspicious Bhadra Kaal that will end at 9:01 PM on August 30th night. Thus, Raksha Bandhan should be celebrated post 9:01 PM on August 30th.

However, auspicious activities are usually done post sunrise and thus, the next day- August 31st is to be observed as Rakhi Purnima. 

The Raksha Bandhan muhurat end time would be at 9:00 PM on August 31. 

Those celebrating Rakhi on August 31st, can tie Rakhi anytime before 9:00 PM. However, the most auspicious time would be before 7:05 AM. 

Additionally, in Udaya Tithi, Raksha Bandhan can be celebrated till 5:42 PM on August 31st.

It is said that Surpanakha had tied Rakhi on Ravana during the inauspicious Bhadra time, and thereafter there was downfall of Ravana and the Lanka empire.

All the above information is as shared by news media- The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, & Jagranjosh.

As per another Odia message received by WhatsApp, this year's Bhadra Kaal will have no influence on Planet Earth and thus Raksha Bandhan can be celebrated on August 30- August 31st before 7:05 AM.

Raksha Bandhan Celebration & Wish

Nationally, we have been celebrating Raksha Bandhan to pray and honour, and resolving to protect and take care.

It is heartwarming to find many social media images of Rakhis being tied to soldiers. Soldiers have been sacrificing their family-time and all comforts, and protecting our nation. We pray for their long lives.

Last week, an image of Planet Earth tying a Chandrayaan-3 rakhi to the Moon was much-loved.

Padma Shri sandart Sudarsan Pattnaik has beautifully depicted the celebration in this endearing Raksha Bandhan sandart today-

Just like Draupadi had tied a strip of cloth on Shree Krishna's hand, and he had later protected her in the Mahabharata, let us all have faith in Him and may God protect all of us on Planet Earth.

This is my prayer to God this Raksha Bandhan and everyday- 

Let everyone be safe, protected, healthy and happy.

How and when did you celebrate Rakhi? Do share in the comments below.