OT: Rakhi - Page 7

Originally posted by: ponymo

It's just as twisted and wrong as Karva Chauth and has its roots in patriarchy.

It is regressive and misogynistic and doesn't have a place in the 21st century. However, most people celebrating it today don't even realize that and blindly follow traditions because they simply ought to do it. But more than the people, it's also brands that have kept it alive as they continue to use it as a marketing gimmick.

On a lighter note, instead of women tying rakhis to their brothers on that day, may be they ought to handcuff them for one day at home, so that women can step outside and not feel the need to be protected.

@BOLD - All aboard the loony train. CHOOO CHOOOOO! 🤪

On a more serious note though - I agree with the italicized portion. Nowadays, people do it just because ... I don't like doing it myself (as a brother). I think it's a stupid tradition that people should do if they have faith or stop doing it at all. My aunt mails her rakhis to her brothers and treats them all differently. She lives about 20 minutes from us. What's the point in following a tradition if you don't have/want the belief behind it.

Sisters are not selling their souls or handing over their freedom for protection. They aren't entering a contract that states "I, Sister, am tying this rakhi onto you, Brother, in exchange for protection between this Raksha Bandhan 2019 to Raksha Bandhan 2020. If I break any of the following rules you have ordered me to follow, it is understood that I do not deserve protection."

Personally speaking, as a brother, I don't care for the festival at all. I used to make a big deal about it every year about not wanting to wear a rakhi (it looks so sappy), going through the whole drama, wearing it for a day, etc. My sister, for whatever reason, loves it a lot for some reason. We don't do anything together on that day, she just likes tying the rakhi on my wrist. My cousin sisters mail their rakhis to me so my sister can put it on me. For me, if my siblings need me for help, advice, knowledge, etc. -- I'm there by their side to fight the world. I don't need a band to symbolize that relationship/my thought. I wear it (without fuss now) because it makes my sisters happy. I don't give gifts or money either. That just puts a price on the bond.

My cousin brothers, OTOH, wear their rakhis until it breaks. I've seen it on their wrists many many months after the festival is over. My sisters get either money or lavish gifts (from aunts because us brothers are cheap/students/poor).

It's now an opportunity for businesses to churn money by consumers who think they need to have a good looking rakhi. I mean ... if the goal is a good looking rakhi, I'll take one each year in 24 carat gold, please. 🤣

Originally posted by: Helee

Well it's the other way round for me....sisters do tie rakhis to protect brothers... I mean thats what I have been taught that rakhi and the love with which I tie that rakhi will protect my brother From problems.... And that's why in return he gives pashli (gift)

Kunta mata tied it to abhimanyu when he was going to mahabharat war to protect him... And he only died after that rakhi was untied from his wrist.

Rakhi has many mythological stories attached to it. And each one had different significant but one thing is constant, if a lady ties rakhi in the hand of a man, the man has to take oath that he will protect and respect the woman as his sister for the rest of the life while the women will pray for the safety of that man, her whole life and that sacred piece of rakhi will be a suracha kawach.

These customs are from the times, when gender roles were specific, and the significance of the customs change and evolve from time to time. Rakhi as any other festival is now just a celebratory festival with people hardly caring about reason behind it. Hence you see even some of the Muslims and Sikhs also following it, because it is at its heart a very cute and sweet ritual.

The idea behind the festival is misogynist and patriarchal so those who don't believe in the idea should definitely not celebrate it. I never celebrated it but that's because my family never followed this tradition.

Also I don't like this thing of special days to celebrate relationships.

Originally posted by: ~*sindhu*~

We don't have Raksha Bandhan so we don't celebrate. We have Bhai dooj.

Bhai Dooj is for married ladies, no?

Originally posted by: ZanduBaaM

Jisko jo Karna hai Karo but sala itna drama mat Karo

Nahi Rakhi tie Karni mat Karo ..jisko Karni hai Karne do

..sabka apna apna freedom hai ....

Har cheez main bhasad Karni hai ...

Aaj Modi ji ne Bola hai population ke liye kal se owaisi chalu ho Jayega ...hamari community pe Nishana hai yeh ...phir yahan pe thread banega aur Kuch aayengey apni apni theory k sath .....

Itna over-reaction and dissection about everything. Bhens ki punch thakte bhi na. Har roj lage rehte hai.

Originally posted by: Sarath_Pandey

All my life have seen rakhis being associated with brothers and male cousins, first time I am reading here of sisters tying rakhis on each other 😆

Read a post on Humans of Bombay today. They have a story about sisters.

And not only sisters. Daughter's tie Rakhi to Papa.

As per Hindu mythology, Women used to tie Rakhi before men left to go into battlefield. To pray for their well-being and protection.

Over the time it became as Symbol of Brother's protecting Sisters. And mostly it's about Sibling Bond.

Originally posted by: Helee

Well it's the other way round for me....sisters do tie rakhis to protect brothers... I mean thats what I have been taught that rakhi and the love with which I tie that rakhi will protect my brother From problems.... And that's why in return he gives pashli (gift)

Kunta mata tied it to abhimanyu when he was going to mahabharat war to protect him... And he only died after that rakhi was untied from his wrist.

Lord Indra's wife tied his Rakhi before he was leaving for some battle or something.

Originally posted by: Thug-Leader

Rakhi has many mythological stories attached to it. And each one had different significant but one thing is constant, if a lady ties rakhi in the hand of a man, the man has to take oath that he will protect and respect the woman as his sister for the rest of the life while the women will pray for the safety of that man, her whole life and that sacred piece of rakhi will be a suracha kawach.

These customs are from the times, when gender roles were specific, and the significance of the customs change and evolve from time to time. Rakhi as any other festival is now just a celebratory festival with people hardly caring about reason behind it. Hence you see even some of the Muslims and Sikhs also following it, because it is at its heart a very cute and sweet ritual.

sanchi (wife of Lord Indra) tied it to her husband's wrist for his wellbeing in war. It's not like now onwards she will be his sister and it's nowhere mentioned that he will protect her now onwards same with kunti Abhimanyu... It was for protection of thr male and not of thefemale.... Because they used to go to the wars and not the females.... So sisters used to tie rakhis on brother's hand...And then time changed and women were being assaulted so the narrative changed and it was the female who needed the protection and rakhi become promise of brother to protect his sister at any cost. now again the time has changed and we don't need to protect each other in that sense anymore so it has become the fastival of love and care as you said.

And people can follow and choose not to follow whatever they like... But calling something patriarchal without knowing it's orgin or the context is wrong.

I do not have a bro of my own.never tied a rakhi to my cousins either.I remember once regreting to my mom abt absence of a bro n no one to tie rakhi to. mom looked at me with a pensive look. then she went out.few hrs later she returned with the most beautiful rakhi - a blue cute smiling Krishna playing flute while resting on a cow n an idol of Krishna Ji. she said tie this on Him. I was 6yr old then so didn't understand the depth much except that I was too happy to get someone to tie rakhi on. it became both a ritual n my habit from then to tie a rakhi on Krishna Ji, even today. now that I recollect it, I feel it was such a beautiful gesture from my mom. n I preserved that rakhi till now. I forgot all the other rakhis of all these yrs but not this blue Krishna rakhi that my mom bought for me to tie on Krishna Ji as it was my first rakhi ever.mom said there is no one greater than Krishna Ji as a protector so His protection is all u need.so ya rakhi is spl as mom made it spl. more than the rakhi part now I value my moms thoughts of that day. I cherish, treasure n relive the memories of that day by continuing to celebrate it the same way that mom introduced it to me.

Jo tumhare dimaag main hai sirf wahi nahi hota rakhi ka matlab chamans ....

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