Raksha Bandhan is also called Kajari Purnima or Shravani Purnima in many north Indian states. Kajari Purnima or Rakhi is an important monsoon festival in north India.

Kajari Purnima or Shravani



In the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh, the Raksha Bandhan day is called Shravani or Kajari Purnima. Kajari Purnima falls on the same day as Raksha Bandhan. Falling at the end of the monsoon season, this festival holds great importance to the farmers in these parts of India.

The womenfolk of the region go to fields and bring earth in the leaf cups on the Shravan Shukla Navami and they put some barley in the leaf cup and keep it in a dark room. Thos place is cleaned elaborately with mud and cow dung. Then this place is decorated with different types of motifs. This worship is repeated for seven days till the full moon day. The final ritual is held on the evening of the full moon day. This is the day of fasting for the womenfolk. Thereafter the womenfolk move out in procession with leaf cups on their heads and immerse them in ponds or other water bodies.