RAKSHA BANDHAN - ORIGIN OF THIS FESTIVAL AND REAL STORY BEHIND IT.
Celebrating the traditional festival of Raksha Bandhan in India is around 6000 years old. According to the origin of this festival, it came into existence around 6000years back when Aryans came to the land of Indus Valley, after the disaster of the Indus valley civilization. But the main celebration of this festival started after the period of Atharva Veda.The traditional festival of Raksha Bandhan, in which the sisters tie Rakhi on the hand of their brothers is accepted as a symbol of respect and love between brothers and sisters where brother promises their sisters to protect them from any obstacles and situations.But the point is why we celebrate Raksha Bandhan? What is the real story behind this festival?
According to the Hindu religion, some of the mythological pieces of evidence show the real reasons behind celebrating this festival. Here, is not a single story which depicts the main reason behind the celebration of this festival but there is more than one story to be believed as a reason behind the celebration of Raksha Bandhan.
THE STORY OF GODDESS LAKSHMI AND THE KING BALI
The King Mahabali who was actually a demon but a great devotee of the God Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu who was very much impressed and touched after watching the devotion of King Bali toward him, decided to leave his original home Vaikuntha and decided to live with Bali so that he can always protect the kingdom of Bali and live with their devotee.but the wife of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi was very sad because of this decision of her husband as she did not want to spend her life without her husband so she decided to do something to get her husband back to Vaikuntha.
Goddess Lakshmi went to the kingdom of King Bali as a refugee Brahman woman and took her permission to live in his kingdom for some days as a refugee and the king accepted her request. On the day of Shravan Purnima, she tied a sacred thread or a rakhi on the wrist of king Bali and then revealed her real identity. The king felt very much touched and emotional when she said to accept him as her brother and said to him to request her husband Lord Vishnu to come back Vaikuntha with her as she never imagines her life without him.
King Bali who was very much affected to see the love of her sister toward her husband so he requested Lord Vishnu to return back to Vaikuntha with Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that from that day every year on the day of Shravan Purnima, brothers invite their sisters to come and tie Rakhi or a sacred thread on their hand and in return, they promise their sister to protect her in every situation.
THE STORY OF LORD KRISHNA AND DRAUPADI
Once to protect the Good over evil, Lord Krishna killed the evil King Shishupal. In the war between the evil King Shishupal and Lord Krishna, The Lord was hurt and his wrist was injured due to which the blood flowing out from his wrist when Draupadi saw that, she worried and torn a strip of cloth from her sari and tied around the wrist to stop the bleeding.
Lord Krishna felt very much touched and affectionate to see the concern of Draupadi toward him.He promised Draupadi to return back this debt when she needed in future. During the game of gambling between Pandavas and Kauravas. When Pandavas lost Draupadi in the game of dice, and Karavas were removing her sari during that time Lord Krishna helped her by elongating her sari so that they couldn't remove that. This way Krishna protected her as a brother. People have a belief that like Krishna every brother protect their sister in every situation.
STORY BEHIND TIE RAKHI TO NEPHEW
Once when Lord Ganesha celebrating Rakhi with her sister his son Shubh and Labh also requesting and insisting him that they also want a sister who ties Rakhi on their wrist that time Lord Ganesha's sister tied Rakhi on the wrist of Shubh and Labh so from that time the brother's sister also ties rakhi to their nephews. Besides this, Santoshi maa as a sister of Shubh and Labh tied Rakhi on their wrist.
There are two another most significant stories behind celebrating Raksha Bandhan but both of those stories are not mythological and belongs to normal humans.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND KING PURU
Another oldest reference of the festival of Raksha Bandhan belong to 300 BC. During the time of war between the great king Alexander and the King Puru. The wife of Alexander was very much concerned regarding the life of her husband. Once when Alexander's wife came to know about the festival of Raksha Bandhan she approached to King Puru and tied Rakhi to him, in return Puru promised her as her brother to not to kill her brother in the war. During the time of war when once Alexander was injured badly in the war and Puru had an opportunity to kill Alexander, he didn't kill him because he promised his wife as his sister to not kill her husband.This symbolizes the significance of Rakhi and this festival.
RANI KARNAVATI AND EMPEROR HUMAYUN
Another most significant story held during the medieval period. Rani Karnavati, the queen of Chittoor who was the widow of Chittoor's king when once was in a trouble because of the Emperor of Gujarat Bahadur Shah who wanted to capture the kingdom of Chittoor, Rani Karnavati who believed Humayun as her brother. She sent him a Rakhi and a letter in which she requested her to protect her kingdom from the invaders. When Humayun came to know about this, he immediately marched toward Chittoor to protect her sister who was in trouble. This another historical real incident story symbolize the importance of Rakhi.