The importance of family

Shiv Daddar, London

Each year in August, a number of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains around the world celebrate the festival of Raksha Bandhan. The festival marks the love, bond and duty that grows between brothers and sisters, or other relationships akin to this.

The name of the festival corresponds to the rituals performed on the day. Raksha means protection, whilst Bandhan refers to emotional ties. During the festival, sisters prepare or buy bracelets made of woven colored threads and tie them around their brothers’ wrists. At the same time, they pray for their brothers’ health, prosperity, success and good fortune. In return, brothers promise to honor their duty to protect their sisters from harm, thanking them for the blessings their sisters give them with gifts or money. Families make every effort to celebrate together on this day.

I always look forward to this festival. Whilst I don’t have any biological sisters, I have a number of ‘cousin sisters’ with whom I am as close I am with my biological brothers. Part of the reason behind this is the cultural and religious importance we attach to this special bond. It’s always nice to dress up, get together and enjoy the day (and the food!) and to celebrate the importance of our families.