Regional Importance of Rakhi

In India Rakhi is a big festive occasion during which there is a lot of fun and frolic all around.  The festival is not only about tying Rakhi on the hand of the brother by the sister but also about a lot of gifting, exchanging sweets and a number of other pleasantries.  Market places are flooded with rakhi collections and a number of other products.  The festival has come of age and sending rakhi online to India is in vogue.  Sending rakhi online to India has been a brilliant feature because it has helped to bridge distances which at times separate the brother from the sister. The festival of Rakhi is celebrated differently in different parts of the country. We present to you some of the ways in which the festival is celebrated in India. 

Pavitropana -

Rakhi is celebrated as Pavitrapana in the state of Gujarat. On this day prayers are offered to Lord Shiva (the three eyed Hindu god). The ceremony of Pavitropana is all about praying to God for forgiveness against past misdeeds and sins. During the ritual a cotton thread is soaked in a mixture of cow ghee, curd, milk, urine and excreta called panchagaivya. The thread is then wrapped around Shivalinga (Phallic Symbol of the Hindu God Shiva) in expectance of divine grace.

Raksha Bandhan Avani Avittam or Upakramam-

Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The ceremony is also known by the same name in certain parts of Maharashtra and Orissa. The Brahmins in the southern states also call the day Upakramam, meaning the beginning. It is a pious occasion when the people take Mahasankalpam for atonement of all the past sins. The Brahmins take a holy dip and wear a sacred thread called Janeyu or Yajnopavita.

Kajari Purnima-

The ceremony of Rakhi is known as Kajari Purnima or Shravani in the states of Chattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The festival is of great importance among the farmers of these states. The womenfolk usher in the beginning of this ritual by bringing earth in a leaf cup on the day of Shravan Shukla Navami. Some barley is added to the leaf cup and it is kept in the dark room. The place of worship is cleaned with cow dung and mud and then decorated with different motifs. For seven days this ritual is held with a lot of reverence. On the evening of the full moon day the final worship is completed.

Nariyal Purnima-

On the western part of India the festival of Rakhi is known by the name of Nariyal Purnima. This occasion is celebrated largely in the states of Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat. The Sea God Varuna is worshipped during this auspicious day. The festival is of much importance among the Kolis who are an important fishing tribe in Mumbai.

One can send rakhi to India and a number of other gifts.  Each gift is loaded with love.  Sending rakhi to india is all about an unforgettable experience.  There is a lot to pick from rich rakhi collections for making a brother feel at the top of the world.  There are rakhis for brothers of different age groups as well as bhaiya bhabi rakhi. The bhaiya bhabi rakhi is an exclusive category and have an unmistakable aura.  The importance of Rakhi is all pervading.  The spirit of the event resides in every heart making it one occasion of its kind.