August 10, 2011
Shravan Shukla Dwadashi, Kaliyug Varsha 5113
There’s Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, even Grandparents Day, and in the Hindu religion there’s even a day set aside to celebrate the bond between siblings, Raksha Bandhan.
On the holiday, Aug. 13 this year, sisters tie a sacred thread on their brothers’ wrist, a symbol of her prayers for his protection.
Hindu families in the U.S. are less likely to live near one another to exchange the rakhi bracelets, so sisters rely on mailing them or they will give them to a friend or neighbor who’s like a brother.
Houstonians Beth Kulkarni and Vijay Pallod aren’t related by blood, but celebrating Raksha Bandhan together for the past 15 years made the two of them, both leaders in the local Hindu community, brother and sister by faith.
“We developed this bond, and it was like a brother-sister bond,” Kulkarni said. “I’ll tie the rakhi on his wrist to wish him protection for any bad things that might happen, and he vows to protect me.”
Source: Chron
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