Like all other Indian festivals, Raksha Bandhan too has a long
historical background. The history of Raksha Bandhan goes back to the
early days of the arrival of the Aryans in India. The Aryans performed
Yajnas before going to wars. This was done to invoke blessings of the
God. Before the men departed for the battlefield, their womenfolk tied
sacred threads or amulets to protect them and also to remind them of
their duties to uphold the honor of their tribe. This is how the custom
of Raksha Bandhan seems to have originated.
It is said that when Alexander invaded India in 326 B.C., his wife tied
a Rakhi to the king Porus. In return Porus is believed to have promised
to protect her and her husband. In the medieval period, we have numerous
examples of the practice of tying knots or threads. The history of
Rajputana is full of several such examples of Rakhi like traditions. The
most famous of them is the story of the Queen karnavati of Chittor, who
sent a Rakhi to the Mughal emperor, Humayun to save her kingdom from the
invasion of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. That particular day of Purnima was
celebrated as Raksha Bandhan in Marwar and then all over Rajasthan and,
finally, throughout India.
Slowly and gradually the concept of tying knots or threads spread to
other parts of India and assumed broader significance. The most recent
historical example of Raksha Bandhan comes from India's struggle for
freedom. To oppose the partition of Bengal, the great poet Ravindranath
Tagore organized Raksha Bandhan to promote brotherhood and solidarity
between Hindus and Muslims. Besides, there are numerous legends related
to Raksha Bandhan in the Hindu mythology.
