Raksha Bandhan 2025: Why do Indians tie rakhi and exchange gifts and sweets?

The bond between brother and sister remains at the heart of this ever-evolving Hindu festival

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  Every year, during the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie a rakhi or a bracelet around the wrist of their brothers. EPA

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  The ritual is meant to protect the brother from evil and cement the bond between a brother and sister. AFP

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  Raksha Bandhan literally translates to 'bond of protection'. AFP

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  A shopkeeper arranges his display of rakhis in New Delhi. AFP

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  A customer checks rakhis at a shop. AFP

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  A shopkeeper waiting for customers. AFP

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  While the practice can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts, the festival has evolved over the years. AFP

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  The ritual is not limited to siblings as cousins, friends and even colleagues tie rakhis. AFP

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  Women check out rakhis at a roadside stall in Mumbai. AFP

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  The festival is a bank holiday in most parts of India. AFP

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  The day usually encompasses family visits, with many dressed in their traditional best. AFP

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  Shops, big brands and restaurants offer special deals to celebrate. AFP

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  A girl with a rakhi. EPA

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  A woman ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist. EPA

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  The rakhi or the charm tied around the wrist has also evolved with the times. EPA

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  Rakhis also vary widely in design and price, from simple woven threads to intricate bejewelled ones. EPA

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  Girls commonly put vermilion paste on their brother's forehead. AP

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  Women tie rakhis while celebrating in Kolkata. AFP

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  A vendor selling rakhis in Kolkata. EPA

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  A woman holds a plate with rakhis, sweets and oil lamps. AP

The ancient Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond between brother and sister. During the annual celebration, sisters tie a rakhi, or string bracelet, around the wrist of their male siblings.

The ritual is meant to cement bonds as well as protect the brothers from misfortune and the evil eye.

The festival has evolved over the years, with the essence being the celebration of the brother-sister relationship. The day is a bank holiday in most parts of India and Nepal.

The ritual is not limited to siblings, with cousins, friends and even colleagues tying rakhis. The person receiving the rakhi traditionally reciprocates in the form of money or gifts.

Raksha Bandhan, which literally translates to “bond of protection”, is usually celebrated on the last day of Shraavana, the fifth month in the Hindu lunar calendar. This means the date changes annually, and this year, the festival falls between August 8 and 9.

How is Raksha Bandhan celebrated?

Young girls tie rakhi onto the wrist of a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the India-Pakistan Wagah Border Post. AFP

While various iterations exist, the tradition usually involves a ritual where the sister offers prayers and applies a tikka or vermilion paste on her brother's forehead. She then ties a rakhi around his wrist. The brother in turn proffers gifts and vows to protect her.

The duo then feed each other sweets to celebrate their bond.

Since the day is a public holiday in most parts of India and Nepal, it usually entails family visits and feasts, with many dressed in their traditional best.

The festival is also a major commercial event, with shops, big brands and restaurants offering Raksha Bandhan deals.

Many celebrities also join in, with everyone from Priyanka Chopra to Anushka Sharma celebrating. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar starred in a film called Raksha Bandhan in 2022, which is based on a brother's relationship with his four sisters. In an interview with The National, the actor said the family drama was one of the best films he's done.

When is the best time to tie a rakhi?

A girl looks at rakhis at a roadside stall in Amritsar, Punjab. AFP

There are no specific timings for Raksha Bandhan, but in some cultures, sisters fast until they've offered prayers and tied rakhis on their brothers. As a result, the ritual is usually completed early in the day, with celebrations going on all day and into the evening.

According to some astrologers, this year the Purnima Tithi, or auspicious time, begins at 3.42pm on August 8 and ends at 2.54pm the next day. So, rakhis can be tied at any time during that period.

Evolution of rakhi designs

Peacock rakhi set sold on UAE-based gift platform IGP. Photo: IGP

The look of the rakhi has evolved over the years. The bracelets vary widely in price and design, from simple woven threads to bejewelled charms.

Bluetooth rakhis are also popular. Available online and designed to look like a traditional rakhi, this high-tech version comes with an accompanying app allowing the sister to record her brother's vow of protection.

For people looking for an environmentally friendly option, there are brands that offer colourful designs made with organic cotton threads. Some rakhis even come embedded with seeds that can be planted.

In the UAE, gifts platform IGP has launched a range of rakhis and hampers for different budgets. The range includes Navratna rakhi (Dh55), adorned with nine gemstones, each representing a planet and symbolising good luck and prosperity. The Rakhi hamper (Dh255) includes two rakhis, made with semi-precious stones, as well as traditional Raksha Bandhan snacks in a luxury gift box.

Vego, the plant-based cafe in Dubai, is also offering a range of rakhis starting at Dh15, as well as a Rakhi Essentials hamper comprising a range of chocolates and other snacks.

Dubai-based catering and cloud kitchen brand Paprika has launched Raksha Bandhan gift boxes including a Rakhi Special mini box (Dh30), which contains four ladoo flavours, and a Rakhi Special 4 Dessert box (Dh200) comprising four desserts plus fresh flowers.

Indian restaurant The Spicery in Deira is hosting a Raksha Bandhan meal on August 9 from 6.30pm to 11pm, where guests get a buy-one-get-one-free deal on select menu items, from paneer to biryani and naans.

A version of this story was first published on August 19, 2024