Festival · Shravana Purnima
Raksha Bandhan 2026
On the full moon of Shravana a sister does aarti for her brother and ties a rakhi on his wrist, and he gives her a gift. One thread, and a promise for life!
Date, tithi and timing
Times are for Mumbai. The app gives times for your city.
Date by city
The date differs in these cities; it is the same in the others.
Next year, 2027
Quick facts
- Also known asRakhi, Rakhi Purnima, Avani Avittam (Tamil Nadu, for the thread rite)
- WhereAll of India and Nepal; on the Maharashtra coast the same day is Narali Purnima
- Puja forThe rakhi, the thread of protection
- In one lineThe bond of protection: the sister prays for her brother, and he takes on a share of her care.
Raksha Bandhan, in a little more detail
- 01
About the festival
Raksha Bandhan means the bond of protection. The word rakhi comes from raksha too: a thread that protects.
Today a sister does aarti for her brother and ties the rakhi, and he gives her a gift. Married sisters make a point of coming home for it.
A rakhi is only a thread, but there's a promise in it: I'm with you. That's the lesson of the day: give the bond your time, and keep the promise all year.
- 02
Indra and Shachi's thread
There's no firm record of when Raksha Bandhan began. But there's a legend about it.
The gods were at war with the asuras, and against Vritra it looked as though the gods would lose. Then Indra's wife Shachi tied a thread of protection on his wrist.
She believed the thread would bring him victory. And the gods did win. So the first rakhi, the story goes, was tied not by a sister but by a wife!
- 03
In Maharashtra and beyond
In the old rite a priest tied a raksha on the king's wrist, invoking King Bali. So the bond was first meant for a king.
Another well-known story: when Krishna's wrist was bleeding, Draupadi tore the edge of her sari to bind it. The legend says Krishna repaid that thread later by protecting her.
The story of Rani Karnavati sending a rakhi to Humayun is told a lot too. But writings from that time don't mention it, and many historians doubt it.
In Nepal today is Janai Purnima, and in Odisha, on Gamha Purnima, farmers tie rakhis on their cattle as well. On the Maharashtra coast this same day is Narali Purnima.
How to tie the rakhi
In short: The thali, a tilak, the aarti, the rakhi on the right wrist, a sweet, and the brother's gift.
- 1Get the thali ready: the rakhi, kunku, akshata, a lamp and a sweet.Many add a coconut and a few coins to the thali. Keep a spare rakhi.
- 2Wait until bhadra is over; the time it ends is shown above.Bhadra (vishti karana) is held unsuitable for the rakhi, so families wait for it to pass. The afternoon, aparahna, is the favoured time.
- 3Sit your brother down, and put a kunku tilak and akshata on his forehead.Some sisters fast until the rakhi is tied.
- 4Light the lamp and wave it before him: the ovalani.Just as for an aukshan: circle the thali before his face.
- 5Tie the rakhi on his right wrist.Firm, but not tight. A cousin, a brother you have chosen, or your father can wear one too.
- 6Feed him a bite of the sweet; he feeds you one too.A pedha, a barfi, or any sweet made at home.
- 7Your brother gives you a gift, and his word to stand by you.Money, a gift, or just the promise to stand by you. Then bow to the elders.
What you needTick as you go
0 of 7 ready
Frequently asked questions
Can I tie the rakhi during bhadra?
By custom, bhadra is avoided and families wait for it to end; this page shows when it ends for your place. If waiting isn't possible, ask the elders or your priest.
My brother lives far away. What do I do?
Post or courier the rakhi in good time. At the right time, video call: you do the aarti, and he ties it himself, or someone at home ties it for him.
Who else can I tie a rakhi to?
Sisters, cousins, a brother you've chosen, your father, a guru, friends: a rakhi is a bond of protection. In the old days priests tied it on their patrons and on the king.
How long should he keep the rakhi on?
There's no rule; many keep it on for some days. When it comes off, don't bin it: put it in a plant pot or bury it in the soil.
Set a reminder in the app
The app sends a notice the day before and on the day, even offline.