PARV 11 OF 30 · SAWAN
रक्षा बंधन · राखी
Sawan Purnima (July–August)
"भैया के कलाई पर बहिन के धागा"
Katha · The story
When the demon king Bali won the three worlds, Vishnu went to live in his kingdom as his guard, and Lakshmi, missing her husband, went to Bali, tied a thread on his wrist on Sawan Purnima and asked for Vishnu back as her gift. Bali gave him. Later stories add Draupadi tearing her sari to bind Krishna's bleeding finger, and Krishna's vow to protect her, which he kept in the Kaurava court.
In Malinagar it is a travelling festival. Daughters married into Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur come home for the day; brothers working in Delhi and Bengaluru try to. The Pusa Road autos are full both ways and the sweet shops at the chowk run out of rasgulla by noon.
Mahatva · Significance
Rakhi binds brother and sister in a promise of protection and care that outlasts marriage and distance. In a village where most daughters live elsewhere, it is one of the three days a year (with Teej and Chhath) the whole sibling set is under one roof.
"राखी के बंधन, बहिन के मान"
A line everyone at the festival knows
Vidhi · How it is done in Malinagar
Rasgulla and kheer, kheer-puri lunch, and the sweets the sister brings from her sasural.
If the brother cannot come, the rakhi goes by post or by someone travelling, and he ties it himself on the phone.