Bhubaneswar, Aug 18: Today is the day when the bond of a brother with his sister becomes more strong and pure. The all – time fighting duo today comes together and celebrate this day with pomp and gaiety. This day is called as Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Purnima which signifies the bond between brothers and sisters. Odisha celebrated this day with great fun and frolic.
In rural areas, especially in coastal Odisha, cows too are worshipped on this occasion.
It’s believed here that as this land is the land of Shree Jagannath, the festival must begin with Devi Subhadra tying rakhi to her brothers Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra. The festival is also known as Gamha Purnima and is celebrated with great religious fervor inside the temple.
The Patara Bisoi community members have designed four special rakhis for the occasion, two each to be tied on the hands of the divine siblings. The rakhis are dyed in four different colours. Two rakhis made for Lord Jagannath have been painted red and yellow and the two made for Lord Balabhadra have been coloured blue and violet. Devi Subhadra will tie these rakhis to the divine duo after the afternoon ‘dhoopa’. The temple administration has made all arrangements of the essential items to the Patara Bisoi community for the festival.
Every household celebrated this day in the prolonged traditional style. Sisters dressed in new outfits prepare the ‘puja thali’ having all colourful and decorated rakhis, with tilak, rice grains, diyas and sweets alongside. Then they perform the ‘aarti’, put tilak on the forehead of their brothers and tie rakhi threads on their brother’s wrists. Lastly, both siblings exchange sweets among themselves. As a token of love for their beloved sisters, brothers give them blessings and provide gifts to them.
The day is also seen being celebrated in schools all over the state with girls tying rakhis on the wrists of boys giving them a token of their sisterly love, although some boys avoid tying rakhis from girls.
“I tied rakhi to my friend who always helps me in difficult times whenever I am in”, said a DPS school girl, Arpita while tying rakhi to her friend Biswajit.
Rakhi is taken as the most true and pure festival without any bit of negativity as it’s the festival of love and respect between siblings.
