Raksha Bandhan 2027रक्षा बन्धन

When is Raksha Bandhan?

Observed on Purnima of Shravan. Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Raksha Bandhan means

Raksha Bandhan — 'the bond of protection' — falls on Shravan Purnima. A sister ties a rakhi, a sacred thread, on her brother's wrist, applies tilak, does his aarti and feeds him a sweet; the brother blesses her, gives a gift and promises to stand by her for life. It is one of the most loved family festivals of India, kept by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, and by many others.

The older form of the custom is the raksha sutra: a protective thread tied by a priest or elder on the wrist of a king, a yajaman or a student, with a mantra, for protection through the year. In the Bhavishya Purana it is Indrani who ties such a thread on Indra's wrist before his battle with the asuras. Over time the thread came to stand above all for the bond between sister and brother — and between any two people who promise to protect each other.

Shravan Purnima is also a day of other observances: Upakarma (Avani Avittam), when Brahmins renew their sacred thread and begin the year's Vedic study; Narali Purnima on the western coast, when fishing communities offer coconuts to the sea; and Jhulan Purnima, the last day of Krishna's swing festival, in Bengal and Braj.

The story of Raksha Bandhan

The Bhavishya Purana tells that when the gods were losing a long war against the asuras, Indra's wife Shachi (Indrani), on the advice of Brihaspati, tied a thread charged with mantras on Indra's wrist on Shravan Purnima, and he was victorious. The mantra recited when tying the rakhi recalls another story — of the asura king Bali.

When Vishnu, as Vamana, had won the three worlds from Bali, he agreed to stay with Bali as his guard in the underworld. Lakshmi, left alone in Vaikuntha, came to Bali disguised as a poor woman, tied a thread on his wrist and called him her brother. When Bali offered her any gift, she asked for her husband to be allowed to return home. Bali, true to his word, let Vishnu go — and the rakhi mantra 'Yena baddho Bali raja' remembers that bond.

A popular story tells that when Krishna cut his finger, Draupadi tore a strip from her sari to bind it, and Krishna promised to repay her; when the Kauravas tried to disrobe her in the assembly hall, he protected her with an endless sari. Another tells that the river goddess Yamuna tied a thread on her brother Yama, the god of death, who blessed every brother who receives a rakhi from his sister.

Raksha Bandhan puja vidhi, step by step

How the rakhi is tied at home. Families have their own customs about fasting and timing — follow your elders where they differ.

What you need

• A rakhi (a simple cotton or silk thread is enough; traditionally red or yellow)
• A thali with roli or kumkum, akshat (unbroken rice), a ghee diya and a few flowers
• Sweets to feed the brother, and water
• A coconut or a small gift, if your family keeps that custom

When to do the puja

The rakhi is tied on Shravan Purnima, but never during Bhadra (Vishti karana), which tradition holds inauspicious for the ceremony. In 2027 Purnima begins on the morning of 16 August, but Bhadra covers the rest of that day, so Raksha Bandhan is on Tuesday, 17 August — tie the rakhi in the morning, before Purnima ends around midday (New Delhi). Check the Panchang for your city. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. Prepare. Sister and brother bathe and dress in clean or new clothes; many sisters fast until the rakhi is tied. Offer the rakhi first to the family deity.
2. Seat the brother. The brother sits facing east (or north), with his head covered by a handkerchief or cap in many families.
3. Tilak and akshat. The sister applies roli or kumkum tilak and sticks a few grains of akshat on it.
4. Tie the rakhi. She ties the rakhi on his right wrist while reciting 'Yena baddho Bali raja…' or a simple prayer for his protection and long life.
5. Aarti and sweet. She waves the diya in aarti and feeds him a sweet; he blesses her, gives a gift and promises to protect her.
6. Remember the wider bond. Rakhis are also tied on soldiers, on trees (Vriksha Bandhan), and between friends and neighbours — and sisters tie rakhis on each other too.

Offerings & food: Barfi, kaju katli, laddoos, kheer, puri-sabzi

Mantras for Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan across India

Nationwide, but with regional variations: Jhulan Purnima in Bengal (Krishna-Radha swing festival), Pavitropana in Gujarat, Avani Avittam (sacred thread changing) in South India, Kajari Purnima in central India, Narali Purnima on the western coast (coconuts offered to the sea)

North and Central India

Sisters travel to their brothers' homes — or send rakhis by post — and families gather for a festive meal. In Bundelkhand and central India the day is also Kajari Purnima, when women sow barley in leaf pots and pray for children and a good harvest.

Maharashtra, Goa and coastal Karnataka

Narali Purnima: fishing communities worship the sea and offer coconuts to Varuna, marking the end of the monsoon break in fishing, along with rakhi at home.

South India

Avani Avittam (Upakarma): Brahmins of the Rig and Yajur Veda change their sacred thread (yajnopavita) and begin the year's Vedic study. Rakhi tying has also become widespread.

Bengal and Braj

Jhulan Purnima ends the swing festival of Radha and Krishna. Rabindranath Tagore used Raksha Bandhan in 1905 to bring Hindus and Muslims together against the partition of Bengal.

Uttarakhand

Janopunyu: the sacred thread is changed, and the Devidhura fair near Champawat is held on this day.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Frequently asked questions