The 3-day final celebrations of the Hindu festival of Rakhi were held at various temples and Gurdawaras across the country on Saturday. The festival of Rakhi, Thread of Love, was celebrated across the world by Hindu and Sikh communities while around 4,000 Hindus and Sikhs visited Gurdawara Punja Sahib at Hassanabdal to celebrate their festival.
Majority of Hindu community including Sikh devotees living within the country visited to perform their religious rituals in colourful manner while others celebrated their festival in every small temple, religious places and communities. Talking to APP, an official from Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) said the Board made foolproof security and other arrangements to facilitate the devotees for celebrating the festival in befitting manner while it also provided them with the facilities of accommodation and food for the celebration of togetherness, affection, fraternity and sublime sentiments.
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan means a 'bond of protection'. This is an occasion to flourish love, care, affection and sacred feeling of brotherhood.
The Hindu and Sikh festivals are incomplete without the typical festivities, gatherings, celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing and dancing. Raksha Bandhan celebrates the sacred relation between brothers and sisters and the festival is considered as an integral part of these customs. On the day of Rakhi, sisters prepares the Pooja Thali with diya, roli, chawal, rakhi thread and sweets. The ritual begins with a prayer, then the sister ties Rakhi to her brother and wishes for his happiness and well-being. In turn, the brother acknowledge the love with a promise to stand by his sister through all the good and bad times.