Raksha Bandhan 2023: Date, shubh muhurat, history, significance, celebration and all you need to know about Rakhi

Raksha Bandhan 2023, or Rakhi, falls on August 30 and 31 this year. Read about the history, subh muhurat, significance, and the festival's celebrations.

Raksha Bandhan, or Rakhi, is an auspicious Hindu festival celebrating the unbreakable and special bonds between siblings. The festival falls annually on the Poornima Tithi (full moon day) of Shravan Maas (Sawan month). On this day, brothers and sisters celebrate each other by performing various rituals. While sisters tie Rakhi on their brother's hands, apply tilak on their foreheads, and pray for their prosperity and long lives, brothers promise to protect their sisters, love and cherish them, and shower them with gifts they adore. However, in modern times, brothers also tie Rakhi to their sister's hands. Sisters also celebrate the day by tying Rakhi on each other's wrists. If you and your siblings are commemorating the day, you should know all about this festival. Scroll through to find out.

Raksha Bandhan 2023 Date and Shubh Muhurat:

This year, Raksha Bandhan falls on August 30 and 31. According to Drik Panchang, the two dates are because of Bhadra Kaal, during which one should not perform Raksha Bandhan rituals. Therefore, you can tie Rakhi on these two dates. The Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Kaal end time is at 9:01 pm on August 30. Thus, you can perform rituals from this time. This year, the Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Poonch will last from 5:30 pm to 6:31 pm on August 30, and the Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Mukha will begin at 6:31 pm and end at 8:11 pm on August 30. The Poornima Tithi (Full Moon) starts on August 30 at 10:58 am and ends on August 31 at 7:05 am.

Raksha Bandhan 2023 History and Significance:

Raksha Bandhan holds a lot of significance for Hindus. One of the legends associated with this festival originates from the epic Mahabharata. According to the mythology, Lord Krishna accidentally cut his finger on the Sudarshan Chakra. Seeing this, Draupadi tore a piece of cloth from her saree and tied it to the injury to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna, deeply touched by her gesture, promised to protect her forever. He fulfilled this promise when Draupadi faced public humiliation in the royal court of Hastinapur when the Kauravas tried to shame her.

Rakhi has gained a symbolic meaning in Hindu culture. It emphasizes the significance of the bond between siblings. Additionally, the festival serves as an occasion for married women to return to their parent's home for the ceremony.

Raksha Bandhan 2023 Celebrations:

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated with pomp across the country. The rituals begin with sisters taking aarti of their brothers, putting tilak on their foreheads, tying a Rakhi on their wrists, offering a sweet, and exchanging gifts. In return, the brothers promise to protect and cherish their sisters. Nowadays, siblings also buy Rakhis that signify their special bond.