Festival companion · Tuesday 17 August 2027

Raksha Bandhan

A thread of protection. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Raksha Bandhan

King Bali was so generous and good that Vishnu went to live in his palace in the underworld as his guard. Goddess Lakshmi missed Vishnu, so she came to Bali disguised as a woman with nowhere to go.

On the full moon of Shravana she tied a thread on Bali's wrist. Touched, Bali called her his sister and asked what gift she wanted. She told him who she was and asked for her husband to come home. Bali kept his word.

Since then, a sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist, and the brother promises to protect her. Today many children tie rakhis on cousins, friends and anyone who looks after them.

How families celebrate

On the full moon of Shravana, sisters tie a rakhi on their brothers' wrists and pray for them, and brothers promise to protect their sisters. The same day is Avani Avittam in the South, when the sacred thread is changed, and Narali Purnima on the western coast, when coconuts are offered to the sea.

Rakhi tying with aarti and sweets, gifts for sisters, Avani Avittam thread change, and coconut offerings for Narali Purnima.

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Short puja 10 minutes · freeFull puja 30 minutes · members

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Short puja

  1. Prepare the thali

    On a plate, place the rakhi, kumkum, rice, a small lamp and sweets.

  2. Pray first

    Offer the rakhi to the family deity first.

  3. Tie the rakhi

    The sister puts a tilak of kumkum and rice on the brother's forehead and ties the rakhi on his right wrist.

    SayYena baddho Bali raja danavendro mahabalah, tena tvam anubadhnami rakshe ma chala ma chala

  4. Aarti and sweets

    She waves the lamp in a circle, feeds him a sweet, and the brother gives a gift and a promise.

  5. Avani Avittam

    In the South, those who wear the sacred thread change it today with the upakarma ritual, guided by a priest.

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

Full puja

The full puja follows the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara, with every mantra in Devanagari, Kannada or Telugu script. It takes about 30 minutes.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Members: open the full pujaShort of time? The short puja is complete on its own: flowers, a lamp and food offered with love are enough.

Print

Short puja guide to print

Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Across India

How Each Region Celebrates

The same festival has many faces. Find your region, and what to do at home.

North and West India

Raksha Bandhan

The full-moon day

  1. Sisters tie a rakhi on their brothers' wrists, put tilak and offer a sweet.
  2. Brothers give a gift and a promise to protect. Rakhis can be posted abroad weeks ahead.
South India

Avani Avittam and Upakarma

The same full moon

  1. Those who wear the sacred thread change it for a new one with mantras.
  2. It marks a fresh start in Vedic study.
West India (Maharashtra coast)

Narali Purnima

The same day

  1. Fishing families offer a coconut to the sea to thank it and open the fishing season.

Cook together

Coconut Barfi

More recipes →
All India · Raksha Bandhan, Narali Purnima

Coconut Barfi

Coconut fudge: kobbari mithai in Kannada and Telugu, thengai burfi in Tamil, naral vadi in Marathi

  • 25 min
  • Serves 16 pieces
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • 2 cups desiccated or fresh grated coconut
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Method

  1. Grease a plate with ghee.
  2. Cook the coconut, sugar and milk on medium heat, stirring all the time.
  3. In 12 to 15 minutes it leaves the sides of the pan and comes together. Add ghee and cardamom.
  4. Spread on the plate, smooth the top, cut into squares while warm and let it set.

Desiccated coconut from any supermarket baking aisle works well.

For children

Make your own rakhi

You need

  • Coloured thread or wool
  • Beads, sequins or a small paper flower
  • Glue

Steps

  1. Plait three strands of thread about 25 cm long.
  2. Glue a paper flower or beads in the middle.
  3. Leave the ends loose for tying.
  4. Tie it with a short prayer and a sweet.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

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