Is Raksha Bandhan a sexist festival?

Raksha bandhan in this form can be a cherished tradition that is a celebration of love among siblings, but in the form it has historically existed, it is patriarchal, sexist, and toxic, and it is time we do away with the underlying idea of men protecting women that formed its basis.

Who started the tradition of Raksha Bandhan?

When Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a rakhi to Emperor Humayun. The Emperor, according to one version of the story, set off with his troops to defend Chittor.

Can Raksha Bandhan Celebrate sisters?

Raksha Bandhan is a joyous occasion that celebrates the deep bond of love between siblings. But who said that ‘raksha’ can be done by only a brother? It is important that we refashion the Raksha Bandhan and get out of the mind-set that it is meant to be celebrated only as a bond or vow of a brother to protect sisters.

Is Raksha Bandhan celebrated only for brothers and sisters?

No, rakhis are not exclusively tied only to brothers or male cousins. Today, rakhis are tied to people one knows from the neighbourhood, close family friends and sisters-in-law. It is a way of building love between people and wishing well for them.

Why Raksha Bandhan is patriarchal?

The brother ‘needs’ a sister to protect, as much as the sister needs his protection. This bond of benign patriarchy is strained only when the sister exercises sexual and/or economic autonomy: making self-choice marriages or marrying outside prescribed norms, or demanding her legal share in land and ancestral property.

Did Draupadi tied rakhi to Krishna?

During the Mahabharata, it is believed that Draupadi tied a rakhi on Krishna’s wrist when he had injured his finger while using his sudarshan chakra against the king Shishupalal. While Krishna’s hand was bleeding, Draupadi tore a piece from her sari and tied it around his hand.

Does Wife tie rakhi to husband?

But, the answer is yes, you can tie Rakhi to your husband. How? “Rakhi is a thread expressing the promise of protection. The person who gets the Rakhi tied must protect the one who tied Rakhi to him.”

Can girl tie rakhi to a girl?

However, the festival nowadays is witnessing a trend, where a woman (nanand) is tying a rakhi to another woman (bhabhi, or brother’s wife). And this rakhi is fancy and colourful — it’s called Lumba rakhi. It is a tradition followed by Marwadi and Rajasthani women to tie Lumba rakhi to a sister-in-law’s wrist.

Is Bhai Dooj patriarchal?

The very name of the festival Bhai Dooj shows its rooted patriarchal biases. It is based on the idea that a woman, whether a wife, daughter or sister, should perform rituals for the welfare of the brothers. While there are no such rules or rituals conducted by men for the welfare of the women in their house.

Is Raksha Bandhan patriarchal Quora?

ANSWER : Raksha Bandhan is neither misogynistic nor patriarchal. Let us understand the general theory behind celebrating the Raksha Bandhan festival. As per traditions, a sister ties a Rakhi to her brother because she expects him to protect her in times of crisis.