Some Unknown Facts About Raksha Bandhan

Rakshabandhan is a widely celebrated Hindu Festival which is very popular in the South East Asian subcontinent. It represents the bond of love that is present between brothers and sisters. It is also a symbol of responsibility which brothers have towards their sisters to protect them for the whole of their life. Interestingly the festival of Rakhi has ancient roots with a lot of significance. Here are some unknown facts about Raksha Bandhan that you would be interested to know.

Draupadi Once Tied Rakhi To Lord Krishna
Not many people know the whole story behind this fact. According to this story, Lord Krishna once cut his hand while kite flying. Seeing this Draupadi immediately tore a piece of cloth from her saree and tied to Krishna. In return for this Lord Krishna promised to protect Draupadi at any condition. Later Lord Krishna protected Draupadi during her Cheer Haran.

Rabindranath Tagore and Rakhi Bandhan
Not many people know that Rakhi was used as a social device by Rabindranath Tagore. The famous poet and freedom fighter suggested the custom of Rakhi to strengthen the bond between Hindus and Muslims during the freedom struggle. The festival also goes beyond the line of religion in the country even today.

Porus Restrained From Killing Alexander The Great
This is a very famous historical event associated with the event of Raksha Bandhan. It is said that Porus during a war restrained from killing Alexander The Great as Alexander’s wife. In this way, Porus honored the wife of Alexander by not killing her husband.

Rakhi Was Tied To Lord Indra By Indrani
The custom of Raksha Bandhan was not always associated with brother and sister. In an event in prehistory Indrani, the wife of Lord Indra tied a thread on Lord Indra’s wrist. She tried it before Indra went on to fight the demons. It contradicts the popular belief that only sisters tie Rakhi to brothers in exchange for a promise to protect them. Later the context was changed to be a more popular festival in the way it is known today.

Rakhi in Nepal, Mauritius, USA, Sri Lanka and UAE
Raksha Bandhan is a festival associated with India but it is more widely celebrated than you thought. It is celebrated by various and non-Indians living in Nepal, Mauritius, USA, Sri Lanka and UAE. The festival also finds wide acceptance due to its nature of representing a universal bond between brothers and sisters.

Humayun Defeated Bahadur Shah For his Rakshabandhan Promise
This is also an incident which is one of the unknown facts about this festival. Rani Karnavati Of Chittor had sent a Rakhi to Humayun to seek protection of her kingdom. The Kingdom was attacked by Sultan of Gujarat Bahadur Shah. Humayun was a little late and failed to save the Queen Karnavati. But Humayun respected the promise by defeating Bahadur Shah Zafar and giving the kingdom to her son.