Wondering why Rakhi is celebrated and how to do it this year?

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day of the Shravan month as per the Hindu lunisolar calendar. It celebrates the sibling bond of brother and sister’s love and is celebrated prominently in the Northern and Western states of India. In some places, there is variation, including additional festivals celebrated along with it. However, the essence of the festive celebration remains the same, which is the tying of the Rakhi thread on the wrist of the brother’s hand. The importance of rakhi festival is an age-old tradition that ensures the bond between the brother and sister. The initial concept of Rakhi was all about the brother protecting the sister but, with changing times, the concept has eventually evolved, and with it has changed the rakhi celebrations.

Importance of Rakhi festival in today’s generation

With modernisation reaching every nook and corner of India, festivals have also been influenced by the cultural shift.

This change makes it all the more prominent to celebrate rakhi in a way that is individualistic to the bond you and your brothers and sisters share. Keeping the traditions in mind, yet following your heart. No two pairs of brothers and sisters share the same bond; there is a different paradigm that is known to just them. Rakhi celebrations are just another way of establishing that bond in a way that seems right to oneself.

We may have lost touch with the real world, but real relationships are something we should always cherish. One such relation is, of course, the equation between a brother and a sister, thus, marking the importance of rakhi and making it all the more relevant for today’s time.

How is Rakhi Celebrated

  • On this auspicious day, the sister prepares a Rakhi Thali (plate), which should include a small ghee lamp, Akshat (rice preferably mixed with turmeric), a Kumkum to apply as tilak, a Rakhi and a sweet.
    •  
  • She then conducts a puja in puja altar and offer prayers to Deity along with the family.
    •  
  • The brother wearing new clothes and a cap or placing a cloth on his head, sits on the stool, preferably facing the East or North direction.
    •  
  • The sister then applies tilak on the forehead of the brother and ties a Rakhi on the right wrist of the brother, all the while praying for each other.
    •  

    Rakshabandhan traditional food and sweets

    On this auspicious day, there are a lot of sweets that are considered the traditional way of celebrating, amongst which are the following :

  • Kheer: A sweet dish and a type of pudding made out of milk and usually rice.
    •  
  • Ghevar: It is a disc-shaped sweet cake made with maida and then soaked in sugar syrup.
    •  
  • Motichoor laddu: These are ball-shaped sweets made mainly with gram flour, sugar, and spices.
    •  

    Since these sweets are very common now and have been around for a long time, people no longer prefer these traditional sweets. Every once in a while, people look out for change and find that perfect amalgamation of traditional and new - Cadbury Celebrations Rakhi. It combines the traditional need of dry fruit and sweet on the festival day but with a fun chocolate coating. You can try out the ‘Happy Rakhi Rich Dry Fruit Chocolate Box’, which contains assorted panned confectionery in 3 flavours - Almond Magic, Nut Butterscotch, Raisin Magic as well as a pretty rakhi all presented in an elegant gift pack you can personalise.

    Rakhi gift suggestion

    Any Indian festival is incomplete without the exchange of gifts and sweets. I am sure every sister would be looking forward to making this Raksha Bandhan memorable by finding just the right rakhi and a complimentary sweet to mark the love she has for her brother. And, every brother has gone through the same finding a gift for his sister to show how much he cares for her. Well, look no more -

    To help you with gifting is Cadbury. There are many gifting ideas available for the occasion.

    If aesthetically pleasing desserts are your thing, you should definitely go for the ‘Happy Rakhi Satin Potli’, which lets you choose Any 4 chocolates of your choice from Silk Bubbly, Silk Fruit & Nut, Oreo, Oreo Red Velvet, Hazelnut, Roast Almond, Mousse and Plain version. This beautiful satin potli comes with one set of Rakhi, Lumba and Roli chawal, which makes it the perfect gift.

    Whether you are looking for a rakhi gift suggestion for sister or looking for someone to deliver the perfect funny rakhi messages for brother, Cadbury Celebrations Rakhi helps you out. It delivers these custom personalised hampers to your doorstep. What’s best is you can also attach a photo of your brother and sister and make the gift even more special.