Raksha Bandhan 2026 Date – 28 August

Stories behind the rakhi

Several stories describe a thread tied for protection. In one, Indra's wife Sachi tied a sacred thread on his wrist before a battle with the demons. In the Mahabharata, Draupadi tore a strip from her sari to bandage Krishna's bleeding finger, and Krishna later protected her when she was humiliated in the Kaurava court. Another tells of Goddess Lakshmi tying a thread on King Bali to win back Vishnu, who had promised to guard Bali's kingdom.

A popular story says Rani Karnavati of Mewar sent a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun asking for help; historians question whether this happened, but it shows how the rakhi came to stand for a promise of protection between people who are not related.

Why Bhadra kaal is avoided

Raksha Bandhan is held on Shravana Purnima, the full moon of Shravana, during the afternoon (aparahna) where possible. If the first half of the full-moon tithi is under Bhadra (Vishti karana), which is considered inauspicious for this ritual, families wait until Bhadra ends before tying the rakhi. That is why the 'rakhi time' can fall in the evening in some years.

The same full moon across India

• Coastal Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat – Narali Purnima: fishing communities offer a coconut to the sea to mark the end of the monsoon closure and the start of the fishing season.
• Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh – Avani Avittam or Upakarma, when men who wear the sacred thread (janeu) change it with Vedic chants.
• Odisha and Bengal – Jhulan Purnima, the end of the swing festival of Radha and Krishna.
• The day is also observed as Gayatri Jayanti and, in parts of central India, as Kajari Purnima.

Rakhi today

The bond has grown beyond brothers and sisters. Sisters tie rakhis on each other, on cousins and on bhabhis (Lumba rakhi, worn on the bangle, is common in Rajasthani and Marwari families). Rakhis are tied on soldiers, on trees as a pledge to protect them, and are posted to siblings abroad well ahead of the day. Ghevar, kaju katli and coconut barfi are common Raksha Bandhan sweets.

Raksha Bandhan puja samagri (what you need)

• Rakhi
• Thali (plate)
• Roli or kumkum
• Akshat (unbroken rice)
• Diya with ghee
• Sweets
• A small lota of water
• Coconut (in some families)

How to do Raksha Bandhan puja, step by step

1. Check the rakhi time in your local panchang and make sure Bhadra has ended.
2. Arrange roli, akshat, a diya, sweets and the rakhi on a thali.
3. Seat the brother facing east and cover his head with a handkerchief or cap, as is customary in many families.
4. Apply a tilak of roli and akshat on his forehead.
5. Tie the rakhi on his right wrist while praying for his well-being.
6. Perform aarti with the diya and feed him a sweet.
7. The brother gives a gift and a promise of support; elders bless both.