Raksha Bandhan literally means a knot of protection, and this festival is celebrated on Shravan Purnima every year, which coincides with the months of July/August of the Gregorian calendar. Every year, just a few weeks before the occasion, stalls and stores around the country stock up beautiful and gorgeous rakhis for sale. Folks throng these stores and stalls to pick up rakhis of their choice. On the day of the occasion, sisters tie a rakhi to their brothers' wrist after a small formal prayer ceremony. After this, it is customary for brothers to give gifts to their sisters and partake in a traditional banquet along with the entire family.
Even though one may not be related as brothers and sisters by blood, people should develop the strength to respect each other by nurturing noble thoughts towards each other. Therefore, members of the extended family, cousins, friends and individuals with brotherly feelings also heartily participate on this occasion.
There are no clear indications of when Raksha Bandhan actually originated, but some believe that that the practice stems from the ritual of wearing the sacred thread since ancient times.
