The Raksha Sutra
By Sikiladi

The ancient practice has taken form
The festival becoming a cultural norm
A secular multi-cultural Hindu fest & feast
Spreading peace & brotherhood reform

Shravan month and its day of full moon
Siblings make merry to love bond tune
The roli, akshat, sweets and the thread
All combined festivity of defensive bloom

She prays for the brother’s well being
He promises to protect her entire being
The bond of protection by a mere string
And for the day he’s treated as royal as a King

It’s fabled that Roxana had tied the thread
To her husband’s enemy and made a request
Alexander the Great thus was once saved
King Porus vowed to free him on her bequest

Rani Draupadi the Pandavas common wife
Blessed with the gift of grace saving her life

Tied a strip from her sari to His bleeding hand
And Krishna vowed to protect her entire life

The Mughal ruler Humayun too kept his word
When Rani Karnavati sent him the holy thread
Defeating Bahadur Shah the tyrant Sultan
Handing back the Chittor State to the Rani’s son

Her tie to Nepal through Raksha Bandhan
A blessing to Sikh Empire’s Maharani Jindan
Being offered Refuge from Raja Jung Bahadur
When her empire fell to British obstruction

He sought to improve cultural ties all around
Enhancing Raksha sutra the string of unity bound
Tagore encouraged the practice of the Bandhan
Seeking peace amongst Hindus & Muslims sound

The festival Hindu, not restricted to just Hindu
Extended beyond blood relations by string & bindu
Rakhi, Saluno, Ujjwal, Silono, Rakhri or Rakhi Pornima
It emphasizes that unity, care, humanity must continue