- Brahm
- Posts
- Celebrating the Sibling Bond
Subject: A personal take on Raksha Bandhan
Striking a balance between the personal and the professional is an ongoing (yet enjoyable) challenge in this newsletter. Our previous edition delved into the impending significance of India's emergence as a Lunar Power.
the Rakhi Puja (ritual) to begin
This week, I had originally planned to explore the realm of Ethical AI, given its growing relevance. However, considering the conceptual nature of the past five newsletters, I wanted to infuse a personal touch into this issue about the goings-on of this week.
Dr. V ties the sacred thread for Connor
As a beau-Hindu (I’ll leave the astute reader to decipher this, with a clue en francais), Raksha Bandhan holds a special place in my heart. This cherished festival celebrates the profound bond between siblings, a day when we reaffirm our love and commitment to protect one another.
Prisha, Dr. V’s young cousin, ties the sacred thread for me!
Hindu culture stands as an ancient and enduring polytheistic tradition, with roots extending back thousands of years to the Indus Valley Civilization.
Temple ties a sacred thread for her (slightly) younger brother Homi. they are the only biological siblings in the household
Dr V. with her actual brother, Ron (who was stuck in Switzerland submitting his thesis), outside her college, Christ’s
Anthropologist Michael Jackson keenly observes that amidst the absence of Father's Day, Mother's Day, or even Valentine's Day in traditional North Indian families, a notable exception emerges—Sister's Day, better known as Raksha Bandhan (literal translated into the festival of protective thread).
Rakhi dinner at Bao
In contrast to the aforementioned Western traditions, the Indian-Hindu tradition places paramount significance on the bond between siblings, notably between brothers and sisters.
my father-in-law’s sisters tie Rakhi for him in Chennai
This practice took shape in North India during the late medieval period as a response to exogamous marriage customs, where women would marry in neighboring villages while men remained close to their parents.
many ladies in our family
With origins dating back to the ancient Purana texts, which span many millennia, this festival provides married women a meaningful avenue to strengthen their connections with their natal families. Through the act of bestowing blessings upon their brothers, they symbolically exchange these sentiments for the protective bond shared between them.
tying Rakhi to Lord Krishna, who is “everybody’s brother”
Certainly, Rakhi (it’s short name, which I’ve liberally used in the captions) has evolved into a nationally celebrated Indian festival, even warranting a day off in the modern Republic of India.
Rakhi continues through to the next generation
Brothers and sisters from all corners of the country come together to exchange their heartfelt vows of siblinghood.
my in-laws in Chennai with their “beau soeurs”
This beautiful tradition is one that I hope will persist for all the years to come. As you can see from the pictures scattered throughout this post, we celebrate Rakhi with great joy & gusto in the Lalchand-Zavidé household!
سپاسگزارم, Adieu and as a token of my thanks for reading my musings; I leave you with the ethereal hymn above.