Silken threads, blessed by the gods, have been tied on brothers’ wrists by sisters, marking their love & affection, for as long as India can remember, on Raksha Bandhan.
The festival celebrates the unique relationships between siblings. Our gods and goddesses have siblings too. Which are the famous sister-brother relationships among our bhagwans?
Lord Krishna had a sister named Subhadra, born to Vasudeva and Rohini. She later married Arjun, one of the Pandava brothers.
Ravana And Surpanakha
The king of Lanka -- known as a demon but worshipped in parts of India -- had two sisters. Surpanakha & Kumbhini; Surpanakha was better known. Piqued at being rebuffed by Ram, she encouraged Ravana to defend his sister and take revenge. The rest is history.
Rukmini And Rukmi
Rukmini, the daughter of King Bheeshmaka of Vidharbha, was enamoured of Krishna for his noble qualities. Rukmini's elder brother Rukmi wasn't in favour of an alliance with Krishna. Rukmini overhears the conversation and arranges to elope. She became his main queen.
Yama And Yami
Did you know that the god of death Yama, who rides a buffalo, had a rather sweet twin sister? Like Yama, Yami or Yamuna is the daughter of the sun god Surya and is one of India's holiest rivers, where taking a dip ensures, eventually, a peaceful death.
Lakshmi And Bali
Lakshmi, disguised as a Brahmin woman, tied rakhi to King Bali and was accepted as his sister. In return, Bali allowed Lord Vishnu to leave with her, giving rise to the word balev, another name for Raksha Bandhan.
Lord Krishna And Draupadi
Lord Krishna hurt his finger. Draupadi gently tore a strip of sari to bandage his injury. Touched by her act, he promised to protect her. He kept his word saving her dignity when she was to disrobe in the Kaurava court.
Santoshi Maa, Shubh And Labh
Santoshi Maa, sister of Shubh and Labh, was born from the divine energy of Riddhi and Siddhi after the brothers wished for a sister. Their wish came true and Santoshi Maa tied rakhi to them bothmarking a beautiful bond of love and protection.