Rakshabandhan : some interesting & unknown facts

RAKSHA BANDHAN :

According to the Hindu Mythology, Indrani, the wife of Lord Indra tied a thread around his wrist when he was going to fight with the demons. Gradually, the significance of the relationship changed and the thread was then tied by a sister to her brother’s wrist.

It is believed that Lord Vishnu granted a boon to demon King Bali that he would stay at his palace, but Goddess Lakshmi did not want to do so. She tied a rakhi to Bali and asked that he should allow Lord Vishnu to leave, in return.

When Lord Ganesha’s sons, Shubh and Labh, saw his sister trying a rakhi to Ganesha, they asked him for a sister, so that they could also celebrate the festival of Raksha Bandhan. Lord Ganesha granted their wish and created a daughter’s from the fire, who came to be known as Goddess Santoshi.

Another legend about Raksha Bandhan is that once Lord Krishna cut his hand while flying a kite, Draupadi immediately tore a piece of cloth from her saree and ties it on his hand. In return, Lord Krishna promised to protect Draupadi and he did so during her Cheer Haran.

There is another historical story about Raksha Bandhan, it is said that King Porus restrained from killing Alexander the Great in the battlefield because Alexander’s wife had sent a rakhi to Porus.

It is said that Rani (Queen) Karnavati of Chittor sent a rakhi to Emperor Humayun seeking protection for her kingdom as it was attacked by the Sultan (King) of Gujarat, Badahur Shah. Humayun embarked to help her but reached too late. Though Queen died by performing Johar, Humayun defeated Bahadur Shah and gave the kingdom to her son.

The great freedom fighter and poet, Rabindranath Tagor tried to strengthen the ties between Hindus and Muslims by asking them to tie Rakhis to each other. He wanted to unify them in the struggle against the colonial rule.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the occasion of Sharva Purnima every year, which usually falls on the full moon day in the month of August.

The festival is celebrated with great joy and fervor all over the country, Sisters visit their brothers, tie rakhi to them and give them sweets and desserts. Brothers also give them gifts and shagun in return.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in a unique. Besides getting rakhi tied on this day, Brahmin Men change the sacred thread called janeu too.

(I did change my janeu (sacred thread) today early morning )

Happy Rakshabandhan 😊🙏🏻

Raksha Bandhan, or simply called Rakhi is celebrated in India and Nepal.

Rakshabandhan means ‘Bond of Protection’. The festival celebrates the love between brothers and sisters.

On Rakshabandhan, sister ties a rakhi (sacred thread) on her brother’s wrist with a prayer for his prosperity and happiness.

This symbolizes the sister’s love. The brother gives her a token gift and a promise to protect her.

Rakhi is not mere thread but it symbolises selfless & pious bond between brother & sister. It binds family together. A bond of love, togetherness & trust.

A Love Between A Brother And A Sister Is One Of The Beautiful Relationship . And Rakhi Is The Festival Which Make It More Stronger….

The bond between a brother and a sister is one of the purest we have ever known. Softer than a feather, stronger than the strongest steel.

Rakhi its not merely a thread,it’s a bond of love, affection and security among all the brothers and sisters. every brothers and sisters should give full support (as a gift) to each other so that they can become self-respected, self-reliant and self-employed in their life.

Rakhi is the combination of Five Meaningful Words. R-Rock Strong Relationship A-Acceptance. All Along K-kindness to The Core H-heartwarming Presence I-idealistic Relationship.

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.

A small piece of thread has more power than everything that is known as Rakhi.

Brother : A male who beats up his sister for touching his stuff ; but will sacrifice his life if someone else touches her..

Bonding eliminates fear and wisdom brings freedom. May your life be bound to values and your spirit be free.

Everytime you feel like abusing a woman on social media or in real world, think of your sister and keep her in that woman’s place. You will never ever abuse a woman again.

Today, let us inculcate respect for not just our own sisters, but for all the women who have been let down one way or the other Safety of women should not just be the responsibility of brothers, It is the onus of entire society.

Celebrate the bond of protection in Truest Sense.

Promise to Protect
Your Sister
Every Sister
Every Girl is someone’s sister or daughter. This Rakhi gift them a “Promise of Protection” to prevent crimes against women.

Wish You All A Very Happy Raksha Bandhan. Let’s All Pledge To Respect Girls Of Not Only Our Own Family,
But Our Society As Well. Let’s All Work Towards A Better, Secure And Safer Mother India.

#HappyRakhi

#HappyRakshaBandhan

Raksha Sutra 🙏🏻

‘येन बद्धो बलि राजा, दानवेन्द्रो महाबल:
तेन त्वाम् प्रतिबद्धनामि रक्षे माचल माचल:।’

अर्थात्

जिस रक्षासूत्र से महान शक्तिशाली दानवेन्द्र राजा बलि को बांधा गया था, उसी रक्षाबंधन से मैं तुम्हें बांधता हूं, जो तुम्हारी रक्षा करेगा| हे रक्षे!(रक्षासूत्र) तुम चलायमान न हो, चलायमान न हो।

अर्थात: जिस रक्षासूत्र से दानवों के महापराक्रमी राजा बलि धर्म के बंधन में बांधे गए थे उसी सूत्र से मैं तुम्हें बांधता हूं, यानी धर्म के लिए, धर्म की रक्षा के लिए प्रतिबद्ध/बचनबद्ध करता हूं, हे रक्षे तुम स्थिर रहना, स्थिर रहना।

“सामाजिक सद्भाव व समरसता का प्रतीक पवित्र उत्सव “रक्षाबंधन” की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं।”

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY 🇮🇳 🙏🏻

Freedom is never free. Let us salute all those who fought for our freedom and to those who fight for us day and night at the borders to keep us safe. Let us not take their sacrifices for granted and always work towards a better India.

No nation is perfect, it needs to be made perfect.This Independence Day take a pledge to contribute towards the perfection of your country.

An ode to Mother India with this original Vande Mataram song on 73rd anniversary of Indian Independence. Let there be Justice,Liberty Equality and Fraternity.

I – Day is also an occasion to reaffirm commitment to work n strive for country’s betterment n for uplifting the people living in poverty or in disadvantageous conditions. Let us make an India of cheerful faces, who are all equal partners in progress.

Let’s celebrate the Idea of India, cherish her might & beauty, and take pride in her glorious 73 years of freedom.

Salutations to all freedom fighters who got us independence by sacrificing their own lives.. A special thanks to Bhagat Singh who was the first to demand “Puran Swarajya” & pranams to SubhasChandra Bose who got us the final Independence!

From the world’s oldest democracy to the world’s largest democracy: Happy Independence Day,

It’s a miracle and a great example to the world to have a thriving democracy that includes so many languages, faiths, and cultures, especially after centuries of colonial divide-and-rule. To non-democratic countries around the world: If #India can do it, what’s your excuse?

Nothing is more precious than independence and liberty.’
Let’s keep the independent spirit of our nation alive as we march into the 73rd year as a free country.

Freedom is one of the most expensive commodities.
No amount of money will be enough to buy freedom.
It is the result of sacrifices and struggles of many brave.
Let us reverence them today and always by fighting and defending the welfare of this country.

Every Day, Every Hour, Every Minute, #FeelTheNation and be proud to be a part of a Country with thousands of different traditions.. Celebrating every Indian from all parts of India. Happy Independence Day.

India wasn’t born in 1947, it was unshackled from a colonial rule. Bharat is a civilizational nation, one of the oldest living civilization. Biggest task ahead is decolonization of minds. Happy Independence Day, India.

This Independence Day, may all Indians pledge to work towards freeing their minds from prejudice & liberating their hearts from hatred. We are a great country with a glorious tradition of diversity. Let’s work together to keep the spirit of our founding fathers alive. Jai Hind.

We have the potential, we have the intellect, we have the capability, and the world is looking up to us to show the way in many ways.

Independence from hunger, from injustice, from thirst, from violence, from indignity, from ignorance. For every citizen in India. Each one of us are equal in the Declaration of Independence. Independence Day. A day to aspire to. Work hard towards.

India and Indians breathe & enjoy our glorious cultural diversity. Many languages, many festivals,but a single celebration.Let India awake to the creation of a Shreshtha Bharat this Independence Day. The force of a strong, united India is Ek Bharat Sheaths Bharat.

India’s future is in the hands of this generation. Let’s strive to create a law-abiding Nation that values and respects all life in equal measure.

Wishing you all a very happy 73rd Independence Day of India 🇮🇳

Bharat Mata ki Jay

Jay Hind.

73rd Independence Day Mother India 🇮🇳

This is 73 years after Independence. This great civilization, which went through throes of various invasions and occupations, after much struggle and sacrifice, we attained our Independence 73 years ago. Many remarkable things have been done in these 73 years, but still, there are many things that we need to settle in our country. Well, our space research institutes have done phenomenal work; our business institutions have done wonderful things; our education systems have grown, infrastructure has grown, Indian people have gone all over the world and achieved many things and found success in various dimensions of life. But at the same time, some of the things that are really eating into the vitals of this nation are something that every citizen in this country should take interest in and sort them out in whichever way they can.

As India turns 73, what is the rising global power’s vision for the world?

India has the opportunity to put in place a new framework for its own security and growth, and that of developing countries around the world.

India, on the other hand has “emerged as a bridge between the many extremes of the world”, as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh once remarked. India’s plural and composite culture, he said, was “living proof of the possibility of a confluence of civilizations”. The global 2030 development agenda, for the most part, may as well be a story of India’s domestic economic transformation and of its defence of diversity and democracy.

For the first time since the end of the Second World War, a nation state that is wary of hegemonic tendencies and identifies itself with the equitable governance of the global commons is in a position to shape the international order. India is home to one-sixth of the global population and has sustained a unique democratic ethos and a foreign policy that is defined not only by national interest but also by solidarity with the developing world.

As a leading power, India must look beyond raw indexes of economic, political and military might, and craft a consensus that is consistent with its ancient and historic view of the world.

But on the other hand other side After you swim slowly, panting and sweating through a sea of humans, cattle, litter and blaring noise of honking rickshaws, trucks, buses and abysmal poverty, you reach where a quiet and a lonely Bharat Mata lives.
But what our politicians don’t see is the mass has not moved. The sea is still far far behind, still struggling to find its freedom from the chains of poverty, casteism, filth, sickness and ignorance. You want to see it, visit Varanasi, it’s ghats, streets, crossings and then go and find out where Bharat Mata lives. The one place she doesn’t live at, for sure, is among. the lynch mobs and rioters, over cows and religion.

We want Independence from hunger, from injustice, from thirst, from violence, from indignity, from ignorance, from rapes, gangrape, molestations, kidnappings, dowry, child sexual abuse, Hunan traffickings and all kind of crime against women. For every citizen in India. Each one of us are equal in the Declaration of Independence. Independence Day. A day to aspire to. Work hard towards.

#HappyIndependenceDay2019

पंद्रह अगस्त का दिन कहता

पंद्रह अगस्त का दिन कहता –
आज़ादी अभी अधूरी है।
सपने सच होने बाकी है,
रावी की शपथ न पूरी है।।

जिनकी लाशों पर पग धर कर
आज़ादी भारत में आई।
वे अब तक हैं खानाबदोश
ग़म की काली बदली छाई।।

कलकत्ते के फुटपाथों पर
जो आँधी-पानी सहते हैं।
उनसे पूछो, पंद्रह अगस्त के
बारे में क्या कहते हैं।।

हिंदू के नाते उनका दु:ख
सुनते यदि तुम्हें लाज आती।
तो सीमा के उस पार चलो
सभ्यता जहाँ कुचली जाती।।

इंसान जहाँ बेचा जाता,
ईमान ख़रीदा जाता है।
इस्लाम सिसकियाँ भरता है,
डालर मन में मुस्काता है।।

भूखों को गोली नंगों को
हथियार पिन्हाए जाते हैं।
सूखे कंठों से जेहादी
नारे लगवाए जाते हैं।।

लाहौर, कराची, ढाका पर
मातम की है काली छाया।
पख्तूनों पर, गिलगित पर है
ग़मगीन गुलामी का साया।।

बस इसीलिए तो कहता हूँ
आज़ादी अभी अधूरी है।
कैसे उल्लास मनाऊँ मैं?
थोड़े दिन की मजबूरी है।।

दिन दूर नहीं खंडित भारत को
पुन: अखंड बनाएँगे।
गिलगित से गारो पर्वत तक
आज़ादी पर्व मनाएँगे।।

उस स्वर्ण दिवस के लिए आज से
कमर कसें बलिदान करें।
जो पाया उसमें खो न जाएँ,
जो खोया उसका ध्यान करें।।

– अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी
साभार- मेरी इक्यावन कविताएं

DO

Two simple alphabets, place them side by side however and they form a word powerful enough to turn a mass of people into a nation. DO. The last time we decided do or die, it changed the map of the world. Today we reached a stage where the eyes of the world are on us again. So what are we going to DO? How are we going to turn a land of philosophers into a nation of doers? Are we going to keep thinking about what we should be doing or do something about what we are thinking? Are we going to simply shrug our shoulders and play my infrastructure, our bureaucracy and a political system or are we going to roll up our sleeves. Get up and actually do something about it. The truth is this thinking can happen from an arm chair but doing must happen on your feet. Thinking may be great way of getting things started but Doing is the only way to get it Done. And let’s face it, you never really caught in a traffic, you are in the traffic jam. Today 73 years of Independence, more than half century and we still are happy been called 5th largest economy in the world, or 3rd largest army on this planet, an emerging economy, a Potential Super Nuclear Power or a Sleeping Tiger. This should be changed and it’s only possible if some of us, dare to be the CHANGE. So let’s stop basking in a glorious past or day dreaming about a great future. Let’s start by DOMINATING today and DOMINATION starts with DO.

#73rdIndependenceDayOfIndia

#IndependenceDay2019

RESOLUTION OF AN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Let’s not celebrate It as a mere flatulent, flamboyant formality

Let’s not proclaim the hollow, parched and clichéd assurances

Of socio-economic justice, indiscrimination and equality

And hoodwink the hapless, credulous and gullible masses.

Let’s not misconceive the nuances of Freedom

In the sense of only political sovereignty:

It’s being free from moral depravity

Being away from own Five Senses’ serfdom

Eradicating illiteracy, ignorance and vulgarity

Curing the plagues of hunger, thirst and poverty

Keeping intoxication and addiction at bay

Not coming under the ugly falsehood’s sway

Not defiling the valued honesty, loyalty and chastity

Not sowing the baneful seeds of envy, hatred and cruelty

Not planting the saplings of malice, acrimony and communalism

Not stifling Humanism, Nationalism, Rationalism and Eartheism.

Unless we practise this sacred, solemn and indispensable Resolution

What’s then the sense of a shallow, sham and pseudo ‘celebration’?

Happy 73rd Independence Day Mother India 🇮🇳

Indian tradition and dharma has always adored and worshipped the Motherland as superior to all Gods and Goddesses and the Heaven.

Adoration and worship of Bharat Mata, our Janmabhoomi, Punyabhoomi, Karmabhoomi, and Moksha Bhoomi, is the hallmark of Hindu Dharma.

The Vedas and Puranas proclaim the glory and greatness of our Motherland. In Ramayana there is a sloka uttered by Sri Rama.

जननी जन्मभूमिश्- च स्वर्गादपि- गरीयसी

Janani Janma-bhoomi-scha Swargadapi Gariyasi

The meaning of the above sloka is Mother and Motherland are greater than heavens. Nothing can be holier to us than this land.

Every particle of dust, everything living or nonliving, every stock and stone, tree and rivulet of this land is holy to us.

On Independence day, I look briefly at how some of the current states came into being. Some of them I had not even heard before. This is now India looked before partition.

° The United Province eventually became Uttar Pradesh. Apparently, “uttar” was not just “north” but also was “answer.” Some early word play. But given their way, they wanted to be called Aryavartha. Failing which they wanted “Hind” or even “Hindustan.”

° The centre had to put its foot down. Ambedkar made some changes and Pant had to promise not to continue with pompous names. They still think they are India, don’t they? 🙂

° Rajasthan started as Rajputana with 22 princely states.It look 7 different stages for modern Rajasthan to emerge. The changes were initially happening on a daily basis! It all started with the United States of Matsya …

° Not be left behind, a week later, a few others got together and created Rajasthan Union. Less than a month, we had an M&A 🙂 The combined entity was called United States for Rajasthan. The United States had such an influence on naming!

° It continued to evolve rapidly. This time the big princely states agreeing to join; in particular Jaipur. Finally, in the 1956 reorganisation of states, it settled to its present confines.

° Madhya Pradesh was initially Central Province and Berar with Nagpur(!) as capital. It quickly became MP while there was a separate Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal. Yes, Bhopal was a separate state for some time. In 1956, Nagpur (the capital!) went to Bombay State.

° A state losing its capital is astonishing and this is what linguistic division did. For this we have to thank the Andhra but then as it turned out, they couldn’t stay in one piece. Maybe linguistic was not the right way to reorganise.

° Which brings us to Bombay State. Which was one long state, containing parts of what is now Gujarat and Karnataka. In 1956, it picked up Saurashtra and Kutch. Someone actually thought this was *one* linguistic entity!

° Bombay was meant to be a bilingual state. But it didn’t last long. In 1960, Bombay State bifurcated into Maharashtra and Gujarat. There was even an attempt to make the city of Bombay into an union territory. More than a 100 people died in all this struggle

° Down south, Madras presidency became Madras. It managed to be on both sides of the peninsula! Whenever I look at this map, I am surprised at how it encircled Mysore to reach out to Mangalore (and Calicut).

° Madras was not just bilingual but had all four big dravidian languages. In 1956 it shrunk giving up portions of itself to Andhra, Karnataka and Kerala. In 1969 it was renamed for what it was: Tamil Nadu.

° Interestingly, Andhra wanted Madras city as part of Andhra Pradesh! Why not? Given what was happening with Nagpur and Bombay etc.

° Among the 500 odd princely states, the British had 5 residencies (diplomats etc) in India; three of them were in the south. Mysore grew into a superset by taking parts of Madras and Hyderabad. And it was eventually renamed Karnataka in 1973.

° Travancore grew into Kerala. And Hyderabad split into pieces that became part of Maharashtra, Karnataka and of course Andhra Pradesh. All this in 1956.

° When Andhra split recently, it was essentially the old divide; the regions from Madras Presidency and the regions from Nizam’s Hyderabad. The old fault lines, they don’t go away … Wouldn’t Nagpur want to be a capital again?

° In the east, Assam was of course big. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland were all carved out of Assam. Many (like Mizoram and Meghalaya) started at union territories and later became states, some as recent as 87.

° At independence, India had an hierarchy of states: Part A t D. Many states have been split, and new states have been stitched together. It is a dynamic process. It will continue.

° There is even a list of “aspiring” states. If you look at this map, you will find the old boundaries and divides. The old yearnings. They don’t go away. They fade for sometime and then they come back …

° Haryana came from splitting Punjab in 1966. Three states I haven’t spoken about are Punjab, J&K, and West Bengal. The reasons should be obvious. And then Goa, Pondicherry, and Sikkim. More recently, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand.

° The states of India will continue to evolve along with its people. It has been along journey.

Let me stop here and wish you all a very Happy 73rd Independence Day!

YOU ARE ONE OF THE COSTLIEST CASKETS OF ALL THE FEMININE VIRTUES ❤😘

The celestial emperor’s ideal beauty:

She was a slender luscious woman, youthful with a measured gait, owing to the weight of her hips, and ceasing her from the weight, [of her bosom]
She, with pointed teeth, and a red lips like a bimba fruit had a glimpse of a stupefied deer.
Her lower lip blushed, like a tender leaf.
Her arms resemble flexible stalk!
Eventually, youth was bewitching [like a blossom]
It had shined in all her lineaments!

Profound portrayal:

She had, V shaped figure with, [imp-thin] wasp waist with, [glossy skin] slender eyebrows with [velvet eyelash] sea-nymph ears with [dainty nose] halo white teeth with [varnished fingernails]
Flame red hair with [rapture blue eyes] captivating lips with [noble personality] soothing voice with [grungy clothes]

Metaphorical description:

She is more beautiful than rose because she remains close her eyes are glowing light which will imprison the night her lips are sealed with love that makes her superior than Jove
Her tears are treasures of love!

Alluring characteristics:

Her hips are beautifully beatific! Lustrous guise with charming smile! She is a flower that no one has ever smelled! [Delicate as like a jasmine flower]

[Senorita:
With all the above description, its crystal that, she must be the first being in His way of making a female]
[Walked out of His shop]

Reminiscence of that beauty:

{Like a journalist:
She is in motion with an air of certainty, and
Like an investigator:
She unfolds the crux of an enigmatic story line}
[Her voice is sarcastically sweet]
She also fumes and frets!
When it comes to human mind, she is the best to understand.
{The resigned and fatalistic mentality is her Achilles heel}
This is her courageous way of confronting the challenges of the world!

PS : To My Gorgeous Goddess Wifey, My Aaradhya, My Ravishing Queen, My Luscious Lioness, My Heavenly Jaan, My Pretty Princess of the Paradise, My Soulmate, My Owner, My Master, My Everything.