New perspectives of RAKSHA BANDHAN

Raksha Bandhan is a celebration of brotherly love and protection. The Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre of Trinidad and Tobago, in collaboration with the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Co-operation (MGICC) hosted grand festivities celebrating the chaste bond of love between brothers and sisters. The audience was entertained with song and dance by students of the MGICC and serenaded by the nectarine voice of Mrs Meena Ramsaran. Sister Kuldeep of Hyderabad, India flew in to be a part of the celebrations and to share her positive energies and wisdom in the form of a story, teaching that God sends help to us in all forms; we just need to recognize it.

Raksha Bandhan sets aside a day where brothers and sisters can seek out each other and rekindle their love for one another forgiving any differences or misdeeds. As humans, we all make mistakes and as some may say, we are entitled to make mistakes, as that is how we learn. Raksha Bandhan gives siblings an opportunity to bury unresolved issues and find a way to rebuild their relationship and live peacefully together. It is an occasion that brings fractured families together to show our younger generations how they should live. It reminds brothers of their responsibility towards their sisters to protect them from harm and keep their honour intact.

 

Swamiji shared his wisdom and his unique connotation of Raksha Bandhan. He explained that the significance of tying a Rakhi for protection can be extended to all of nature and as we ask nature for its protection, we too must protect nature. If we can develop this way of thinking, then we can enjoy nature in its purest for a much longer period of time. Then we would not allow big money making companies to obliterate our environment and make it increasingly toxic for our future generations.

 

 

Raksha Bandhan has since evolved to also signify a promise in which the strong must protect the weak. India’s history has proven that the symbolism of the Rakhi has resulted in political ties between many kingdoms. Many Rajput and Maratha queens have sent Rakhis to Mughal kings who were primarily muslims. Despite their differences, they offered protection to their Rakhi sisters at critical moments and honoured their bond. This proves that Raksha Bandan is not only celebrated by Hindus, but all religions can participate in this celebration. This bond between brothers and sisters transcends religion and family and I believe that if youths of all walks of life were to honour this tradition then men today would respect women more. Young men would see young women as their sisters and treat them respectfully instead of being immoral with them. A society that condones such mentality and promotes the bonding of youths and children on this level will definitely witness more love and less violence, specifically, less sex crimes, and men will be more encouraged to protect their female counterparts rather than take advantage of them.

 

 

 

Pure love is the underlying lesson to be learned from this age old tradition of Raksha Bandhan. Love between brothers and sisters, love for nature, love and respect between kingdoms, love across religions and between youths everywhere. When every individual can live peacefully as brothers and sisters, then every member of the community can commit to protect each other and society as a whole.