Rakhi
noun/verb
present participle tying rakhi | past tense and past participle tied rakhi
A Hindu festival celebrating the bond between siblings and families.
- I am taking a 2-day leave for Rakhi, 3-day leave for Janmashatami and a week’s leave for detoxifying myself after meeting all my relatives.
- Gosh, these Rakhi prices keep on rising each year, unlike my salary.
The act of tying a thread on another person’s wrist signifying the sheer promise of protection for life.
A truly gratifying ritual resulting in big loss of pocket money.
- While tying Rakhi on my sister’s hand I accidentally called her a millennial beanbag, she legit tore my amazon gift voucher. Turns out I am excellent at gaslighting myself.
Hello world, this is our version of the updated definition of Rakhi. This August we are celebrating bonds, love and late night WhatsApp calls, cribbing over any minute inconvenience between mutually dependent friends, who have decided to be each other’s mum. The idea is to not take away from the salient idea of Raksha Bandhan but in fact add more essence to it.
But here’s a new idea that we need to normalize –
Raksha Bandhan literally means ‘the link of protection’. The idea of protection being a brother’s role and the sister needing the ‘his’ protection is an archaic one. Let us try something unique, let’s break the old patriarchal boundaries and do away with the no longer needed gender restricted traditions.
With Rakhi or any such celebrations, comes an absconding fear of what if. Sometimes the constricted nature of festivities makes it so uninviting for collective participation. But hey, if you gave a hasta-la-vista to your last android with an outdated OS, then it’s time to give the same treatment to these outdated rituals with modernised updates.
Forego the obsolete and unrequired pressure of protection from men and share the responsibility of guarding each other. We are suggesting to zoom out from the specific gender lens of raksha bandhan and focus on the satellite view, the larger picture where all of us wish to be protected in some way or the other. How we all need someone to connect with, to rely on.
We are not talking about saviors who will jump the gun over anything for us. But rather friends, sisters, colleagues, partners who give us the best emotional response after any upsets in our life. Yes, the good old shoulders to cry on and lend one’s own shoulders to. People who are our emotional supporters, our caregivers by choice.
The media world is also storming into the full-bound equal sharing of love and bond by starlighting the unique raksha bandhan stories.
Real Juice advertised their Rakhi specials through a wonderful ad highlighting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPcfQDWcbdg
‘This Raksha Bandhan, we celebrate the moments that show that protection is a two way street. We stand equal and real. Iss baar dono ka hai Raksha Bandhan!’
A perfect example of the fact that all bonds are testimonies of love, warmth and protection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tylRt7nPalQ
Tanishq gobsmacked with us their stellar campaign :-
‘She’s my brother’s life partner, but she’s also my partner-in-crime.
Here’s to all the #SistersByChoice.
This Rakshabandhan, celebrate your bhabhi too, with the special Lumba Rakhi that doubles up as a pendant.’
Tie a rakhi to the person who cheerleaded you while applying for that job, which you were shuddering away from due to unmatchable experience. Or the badass pal who lectures the shit out of you for not trying on that mauve silk corset top, cause you thought your arms are too plump for it. Bros who plan the entire camping weekend despite their long-hours corporate jobs and make sure your lazy ass tags along. Masis and nieces who get along like a house on fire. Shower all your love on cousins with whom you trade away all your intimate secrets.
In fact, tie rakhi to all those who take care of you, be it your mum, dad, sister or friend. Hey, tie one to yourself. Yeah, go get those cute, silk-soft floral rakhis and celebrate the fact that you have been your own protector and guide through all these years.
Honour the spirit of the festivities and strengthen the bond between all your Jedis. Gather up all your pals who stood like a rock in turmoil times and celebrated each positive. Make Rakhi the time to highlight your relationship and acknowledge the person who looks after you.
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