Can you tie the Band of Rakhi to anyone? Think again!

The month of August brings with itself a host of festivals to celebrate. Of them, the one that keeps me waiting throughout the year is festival of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan. Rakhi emphasizes the relation that every sister shares with her brother, who vows to save her from all perils of the world. Well, that's the significance of the festival of Rakhi. However, it really hurts to see how the purity of the festival is being maligned and its significance mellowed by many people. The practice is especially prevalent amongst young boys and girls, who tie the band to almost anyone, not with the motive of establishing a real brother and sister relationship but to be able to freely speak to and be with people whom they like. Sometimes, they also tie the band to ween away people with different intentions towards them. I guess an incident that I witnessed recently would help you to understand that statement properly.

A couple days of back, a friend of mine was narrating an incident where a guy had approached her with some different intentions. She also reciprocated his feelings and was rather keen to start up with a relationship with him. But at the same time, she was also scared of coming out in the open about the relationship, lest her parents come to know about it. To avoid this situation, she tied a rakhi on him to legalize their relation. Though she was quite happy with her feat, I some how could not agree with her point of view.

For me, rakhi is extremely auspicious. Even if I would tie it to someone who is not in my blood relation, the person has to be very special in order to get the stature of a brother in my life. If you ask me such an act only demeans the the significance of Raksha Bandhan and also maligns the pious relationship between a brother and a sister. Recently it is a trend mostly with school and college going girls who also follow the same thing, with the intention of getting liberty to be with the person they like.

Its not as if this trend has originated recently. It was quite in vogue even when I was in school some ten years back. Although I used to laugh it off then, now, when I am more mature and exactly understand the significance of that tiny silk thread. This is why I find this practice to be grossly unethical.

So, here's urging all those girls to understand the importance and sacred nature of the ceremony. There sure are many other ways to be with the person you love, other than demeaning the pious festival.