Rakhi

I almost retired to bed watching Tangled only to remember that I wanted to do a post on Rakhi (Rakshabandhan).
This is one of my  most favourite festivals ever!!! Umm.. most festivals that involve me getting presents are my favourite like Rakhi, Diwali, Christmas,.. my birthday?! :)
Usually I get presents ON Rakhi. Just this time I got one in advance. You all know what I got for Rakhi this time. My brothers have been very generous! :D

Rakhi is a festival celebrated by brothers and sisters.. Where the sister prays for her brother's success, prosperity and longevity while tying a sacred thread (Rakhi) on her brothers wrist and the brothers in-turn make a promise to protect their sisters for life. Oh and they give her some presents too!:P

This was our first Rakhi. He was 7 months old and I was 5 years old. I tied him a Rakhi and was very happy. I had a sibling FINALLY! He tore it and put it in my hair. Then wanted it. (and That red thing ISN'T the Rakhi :P It was a bow I loved back then, but the Rakhi is somewhere there!:P)

These are the Rakhis I bought my brothers and my dad this time. (I know its not a dad thing but we were always away from our relatives and my aunt couldn't ever tie my dad a Rakhi(after he joined the army) so I did every year. Now even though my aunt and us live in the same city, I continue to tie him a Rakhi. :)

So excited to do this in the morning!

Since I have a lot of foreign readers I wanted to add the whole story of Rakhi. Its one of the most beautiful tales ever!

[Straight from Wikipedia]-
Rakshabandhan is a festival primarily observed in India, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. The festival is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her.


Legend-

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun

A popular narrative that is centered around Rakhi is that of Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Mughal Emperor Humayun, which dates to 1535 CE. When Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun. Touched, the Emperor immediately set off with his troops to defend Chittor.^[18] Humayun arrived too late, and Bahadur Shah managed to sack the Rani's fortress. Karnavati, along with a reported 13,000 other women in the fortress, carried out Jauhar on March 8, 1535, killing themselves to avoid dishonor while the men threw the gates open and rode out on a suicidal charge against Bahadur Shah's troops.^[19][20] When he reached Chittor, Humayun evicted Bahadur Shah from fort and restored the kingdom to Karnavati's son, Vikramjit Singh.^[19] Although contemporary commentators and memoirs do not mention the Rakhi episode and some historians have expressed skepticism about it, it is mentioned in one mid-seventeenth century Rajasthani account.

There are more. But I knew of this mainly.. :)