Raksha Bandhan Vidhi · रक्षाबंधन विधि

How Raksha Bandhan is kept: preparing the rakhi thali, avoiding Bhadra, the tilak, aarti and rakhi on the brother's right wrist, and the sweets and gift in return, as the published guides describe it.

How the puja is done

When

Raksha Bandhan falls on Shravana Purnima, the full moon of Shravana. The rakhi is not tied during Bhadra, a period held inauspicious for good work, so check the Bhadra timing for your city before tying it. See the Raksha Bandhan page for the date.

The thali

Rise early, bathe and wear clean clothes.
Prepare a thali with the rakhi, a lamp, roli (kumkum), akshat (unbroken rice) and sweets.
Many first offer the thali to Ganesh or the family deity before beginning.

Tying the rakhi

Seat the brother facing east.
The sister applies a tilak of roli on his forehead and places akshat on it.
She does his aarti and ties the rakhi on his right wrist, praying for his long life and well-being. Many recite the mantra that begins "Yena baddho Bali raja": "with the thread by which the mighty King Bali was bound, I bind you".
She then gives him something sweet.

In return

The brother gives his sister a gift and renews his promise to protect her, and takes her blessing.

Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.

These steps are written in our own words; each appears in at least two of the published sources linked below, and steps found in only one source are left out. Puja customs differ by family, region and tradition; your family priest or family custom comes first.

About this text

Raksha Bandhan, "the bond of protection", celebrates the love between brothers and sisters. On the full moon of Shravana a sister ties a rakhi, a protective thread, on her brother's wrist and prays for his well-being, and he promises to protect her. Stories told with the festival include Draupadi binding Krishna's wounded finger with cloth from her sari. This page gives the observance as the published guides listed below describe it. Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.