Tag Archives: legend

President Greets Nation on ‘Raksha Bandhan’

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President Ram Nath Kovind in his message on the eve of Raksha Bandhan has emphasized on the sacred bond of commitment between sisters and brothers in the country.

“On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, I offer my warm greetings and good wishes to all fellow citizens. This unique festival celebrates the sacred bond of commitment between sisters and brothers,” he said in his message.

Raksha Bandhan symbolises the virtues of love, affection and mutual trust, and bring happiness and prosperity to all people of the country, he said. “I hope that the day is an occasion for all of us to renew the spirit of fraternity among the citizens of India,” he noted.

Monday, August 7, 2017 marks the festival of Raksha Bandhan celebrated by sisters across the country, especially the north, tying the sacred thread on their brothers for protection. The ancient Hindu tradition has tied brothers and sisters throughout the Hindu culture and is still visibly celebrated by Indian expatriates across the world.

Origin or the legend goes that Indra, king of the gods, was tied a sacred thread around his wrist by his wife Sachi at Lord Vishnu’s advice, and he was able to regain Amaravati, the abode of the gods from a demon. Even Bali, a demon king but known for his philanthropy, requested Lord Vishnu to stay at his abode and this irked Vishnu’s wife Lakshmi who went and tied Rakhi and requested Bali to give back her husband as a gift, which he obliged.

In history, when Alexander invaded, King Porus could not kill him because he was wearing a rakhi around his wrist tied by Porus’s wife. In India, Babar’s son Humayun was sent a rakhi by the widowed queen of Chittorgarh that he rushed to help her out of the clutches of the ruler of Gujarat then keeping up the spirit of protection of a sister.

The Raksha Bandhan was, however, popularised by Rabindranath Tagore as part of bringing unity among Indians to fight for the freedom struggle in modern India and the tradition has become so popular that many girls express their affection and love for brothers and those who they want to provide brotherly protection.

In recent days, many boys are afraid of girls who turn away their love by just tying rakhi on this day.

 

Rare Wish Fulfilling Brahma Kamal Blooms Tonight

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Today, June 24, 2017, being a Saturday with Amavasya night, is witnessing the rare Brahma Kamal flower blooming once in a year for two hours in the night and Hindu mythology says that it has wish-fulfilling powers and believed to have been showered on the ground by Gods after Lakshmana was revived on the battle ground in Ramayana.

Brahma Kamal, native flower of Uttarakhand and Himalayas and known by its scientific name Saussurea obvallata, is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae, which was seen held by Brahma in one of his four hands like a white flower.

In the Himalayas, it is found at an altitude of around 4500 metres while it has been accorded the status of state flower in Uttarakhand. The plant Saussurea obvallata grows maximum one feet and the flowers are hermaphrodite (with both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects.

These flowers bloom during the monsoon (June–August) amongst the rocks and grasses of the hillside at an altitudinal range of 3000–4800 metres and the flower heads are closed during the day time to protect from the cold mountain environment.

Some people, however, claim that the flower of Epiphyllum oxypetalum, the orchid cactus, which blooms at night, is the true Brahma Kamal but in the Northern India, the flower of Saussurea obvallata is known as the Brahma Kamal. It is believed that Brahma was born from this white lotus and hence called the Brahma Kamal.

Hindus believe that anybody who sees this rare flower blooming will have his or her wishes fulfilled and flower rarely blooms for just two to three hours during the mid-monsoon. In the epic Ramayana, when the Sanjivani herb was administered to Lakshmana, he miraculously revived. In celebration, Gods showered Brahma Kamal flowers from heaven, which took root in the Valley of Flowers, goes the legend around the Brahma Kamal.

The flower also has many medicinal properties, especially in Tibetan medicine called Sah-du Goh-ghoo. However, the plant is endangered due to its use for medicinal purposes and is known to cure urogenital disorders.