Dear Editor,
Raksha Bandhan, the festival of brotherly love and protection, was observed last Thursday (a holiday in India) in the Indo-Guyanese diaspora in their homes, but being a work day, it was observed on Sunday in Mandirs around the US.
Although a Hindu festival, Raakhi, as it is popularly called by Indo-Caribbean immigrants, takes on a secular tone with non-Hindus and non-Indians partaking in the ritual ceremonies. The term raakhi brother is often used for those non-blood males who received a rakhi.
In India, the festival is celebrated by people of all faiths. In the Indian diaspora, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, and Sikhs participate in the celebrations.
In the United Arab Emirates, for example, Hindus and non-Hindus celebrated Raksha Bandhan at the Indian Consulate. And in Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, non-Indians (including Freddie Kissoon) also observed Raakhi.
Raksha Bandhan has become a kind of non-secular festival filled with love. It is a festival in which brothers or males renew a bond as well as their commitment to protect their sisters or females.
Raksha means protection. The females tie a sacred thread on the wrist of males and they in turn offer her a gift and commit to protect her against dangers and help her to succeed in life.
This bond of protection is very important and has relevance in a place like Guyana where there is so much hatred for people based on their race especially those who don’t support the ruling dispensation – it is alleged that non-supporters are victimised on account of their race and political affiliation.
One should also not forget that Indo-Guyanese females have been the subject of much physical attack (rape, etc during ethnic violence) and domestic abuse. Atrocities against all women of all ethnicities have been growing, and thus, this Indian festival has much relevance in Guyana, making the bond of protection most apt especially at this time in our country’s history when government is terminating the employment of so many Indians and Amerindians, making life difficult for females.
For Raakhi, among Indians, sisters or females tie a “rakhi” or holy thread (which have taken on ostentatious forms in recent years), symbolising prayers for well-being and protection, on the wrist of their brothers (males), apply tilak, and give them sweets; the brothers present a gift to their sisters.
In India, every female (away from parental home) practically journeyed back to spend some quality time with their siblings, tying Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers with a promise of protection in return and exchanging gifts. Raakhi is celebrated with fervour in the Hindu community worldwide.
In India, several females tied raakhi on my wrist in communities I visited; I observed many a raakhi in India, Trinidad, Guyana, and Fiji where the observance is very much the same everywhere.
In India, constituents tied raakhi on politicians and females also tied raakhi on soldiers serving the nation in unfriendly terrain on the border to Pakistan and in Kashmir.
Raakhi exists in all colours and shapes, with some even made from real gold – quite a change from when it was a simple thread.
Raksha Bandhan became very popular in India by the great poet Rabindranath Tagore in the nationalist struggle against British colonial rule. It took on patriotic symbol to get young boys and girls involved in the freedom movement.
Raksha Bandhan was also very popular in Bollywood where actresses tied raakhi on co-stars or those close to them. The beautiful Deepika Padukone, for example, tied raakhi on her bodyguard. Some also did so on Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan and other celebrities.
In NY, at the mandirs, females tied colourful Raakhi and performed aartie on males.
Traditional meals were served.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram
