The cultural influence of India is widespread and known to all. Westerners always viewed India and its culture as royal, mythic, and rich. The heritage of India is indeed lavishly rich and its festivals have a great impact throughout the world. One such festival is rakhi which has an enormous influence on the world, if you are curious as well to know how the whole world celebrates rakhi then keep reading this article.
Rakhi is the festival of bonding between brothers and sisters. It is the festival that re-emphasizes the affection and love that exists between sisters and brothers. It symbolizes the affection between siblings. It is a secular festival in India with people from many religions celebrating it with equal elan. With globalization and many Indians staying abroad, the festival has truly become global and is celebrated in many parts of the world.
Despite the celebrations happening in multiple countries, the core values remain the same. The word Rakhi implies the ceremonial thread that the sister ties on her brother's wrist after a few rituals expressing her love and wishes for her brother’s well-being. The brother in return vows to protect his sister in all circumstances and take care of her. So, celebrate this rakhi by sending rakhi in India and by sending rakhi gifts to India, from wherever you celebrate the festival through this trusted online portal. You can check our article on how to send rakhi to India from the USA, which might guide you to send Rakhi gifts to India.
Rakhi Celebration in Nepal
The country of Nepal is so close to India that many similar festivals and celebrations are observed in both places. Thus, a festival like Raksha Bandhan is very important and popular in this neighboring country. Rakhi celebrates the bond that exists between brothers and sisters and for this reason people can relate to this celebration with all their hearts. A very important aspect of this occasion is the exchange of gifts and sweets that takes place between siblings. However, Nepal also has several traditions that encompass this event which is quite unique in themselves.
The main ritual of Rakhi is the same in Nepal with the sisters tying sacred threads on their brothers’ wrists. The festival of Raksha Bandhan takes place on Shravana Purnima and in Nepal, this day is known as Janai Purnima as well as Janaeu Purnima. The Janai is the holy thread that Nepalese men wear on their torsos in a lengthwise fashion. On this auspicious day, the Janai thread is changed near the riverside after which the person takes a holy bath. On the other hand, the Janaeu is a thread that the elders of the family tie on the wrist of the younger ones. This day is also considered to be an auspicious one for visiting the various temples devoted to the worship of Lord Shiva.
Rakhi Celebration in Europe
In several countries of Western and Eastern, Europe Rakhi is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fun. There are several people from South Asian countries who reside in European countries who also celebrate Raksha Bandhan. Usually, at a common place or venue, people from different parts of the city gather along with their families dressed in colorful and some in ethnic wear giving a festive color to the celebrations. The people staying out of their countries to see these opportunities as one that helps to develop brotherhood among themselves since they stay far away from their families.
The Raksha Bandhan celebrations that are organized here follow all the traditions related to this day. But instead of having a family day, they gather at an appointed place and have a community celebration. The sisters apply tilak and tie Rakhis on the wrists of their brothers and also of those whom they consider being their brothers. A long estrangement from home results in the formation of many such relations as everyone misses their siblings.
Rakhi Celebration in the US
A large number of Indians reside in the US and they take every opportunity to bond with other Indians and celebrate festivals. Raksha Bandhan festival gives them yet another opportunity to bond with other Indians living in and around their neighborhood and feel closer to their country and values. The celebrations are similar to the ones in India. People begin the day with Rakhi Puja, sisters tie rakhi on their brother’s wrist and apply tilak on the brother’s forehead and feed him, sweets, wishing him long life and success. Brothers, gift their sister some gifts and vow to protect her in all circumstances and be with her in times of happiness and despair. Despite the distance send rakhis to India and make the celebrations a truly memorable one.
Rakhi Celebration in Gulf Countries
The Gulf Countries are those which have a coastline with the Persian Gulf, hence the name. These countries include Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq. Over the years, many people of Indian origin have settled there and they have brought with them their own festivals and traditions. One such popular celebration is the festival of Raksha Bandhan which is celebrated by the whole of the Indian community. A growing trend of online Rakhi portals can be seen as siblings moving apart from each other for many reasons. Online portals like us have become lifesavers in such situations where you can send rakhi to India from any corner of the world. Rakhi in gulf countries is celebrated in a grand manner and the way in which it is celebrated in these countries is quite noteworthy.
Rakhi Celebration in Australia
The country cum continent of Australia hosts a diverse group of people who belong to different ethnicities. Many Indians call the Australian islands their home and these people come from different parts of India. Hence, they bring with them their own set of cultures, traditions, and also many different festivals. Such festivals that are now celebrated in Australia include Durga Puja, Holi, Navratri, Onam, and of course Raksha Bandhan. Rakhi celebrates the love that is shared between siblings and a very important part of this festival is the exchange of gifts. With time, Raksha Bandhan has now become a secular festival and hence it is celebrated by a large section of people in Australia and not just the Indians. A festival of such a grand stature obviously has a set of customs and rituals that are followed diligently here. The festival of Rakhi is celebrated in Australia with all the rituals and customs and also a lot of fun and frolic.
Rakhi Celebration in UK
Rakhi celebrations commence many days in advance of the festival so that everyone is well prepared by the time the day arrives. There are various traditions and rituals encompassing this hearty event and such customs change from region to region of this vast country. However, what remains constant is the basic theme of the festival, that is, a celebration of bitter-sweet sibling love. Nowadays, people staying away from their siblings are opting to celebrate online Rakhi with gifts and sacred threads. They also celebrate the day by following the rituals and having a get to together with friends, family, and other members of the Asian community. In countries like Great Britain, there are a number of Asian communities and they have a grand Raksha Bandhan celebration every year.
The sisters begin the celebration by preparing the Rakhi puja thali which consists of a Rakhi thread, roli, chawal, a betel nut leaf, shagun coin, diya and sweets. They then perform artis of their brother and apply a tilak on their forehead using roli and chawal. After this, the sister ties the Rakhi thread to their brother’s wrist and the two of them exchange sweets and gifts. Many of the sisters who are away from their brothers fast for the day and perform the ceremony with an idol of Lord Krishna. Brothers spend the whole day with their sisters by taking them out on a shopping spree or treating them to a sumptuous meal. Siblings who live away from each other celebrate the occasion with each other via video chatting and they perform all the customs online.
If you also are staying in Great Britain or anywhere else away from home and want to make this day a special one for your siblings then you can take the help of this online Rakhi store. Here you will get a variety of gifts as well as innovative Rakhi threads that you can use to send Rakhis to India. Your brothers and sisters in India will love to receive such gifts on this occasion and they will cherish them forever.
These gifts will surely make this coming Raksha Bandhan a day worth remembering for you and your siblings. Thus, celebrating Raksha Bandhan in Britain or any corner of the world can be made very easy with the various gifting options available here.
