Rakhsa Bandhan, celebrating purity

At 3:45 on the morning of August 17, 2003, I woke up and prepared myself for what would become the most meaningful and memorable celebration that I’ve ever attended. By 4 a.m., I was already hailing a taxi from San Antonio Village in Ortigas on my way to the main center of the Brahma Kumaris in Bagtikan St., Makati City. Surprisingly I was full of energy.

The center was flooded in red light, an indication that the people inside were in tapasya (state of deep meditation). The experience of sweet silence was so uplifting. Every raja yoga (an ancient form of yoga that practices open-eyed meditation) student in the Greater Manila Area (GMA) was there, typical of a Sunday gathering. But that day was more than special because every one will be tied a rakhi in celebration of Raksha Bandhan, which literally means the bond of protection.

Every full moon of August (or the whole month of August), the whole of India celebrate this very auspicious festival. In ancient India (Bharat), young girls would tie a bracelet to young men, promising that they will keep their purity while the men would promise that they would give their protection in return.

A week later, I arrived in Cebu on assignment, and fate would have it that the Cebu Center will be tying rakhi the Sunday of my arrival. A double promise, a double bond of protection. Brahma Kumari Rajni Daulatram, the regional head for Japan and the Philippine Islands, was in town to do the tying of the bracelet together with then Naga Center Coordinator, Brahma Kumari Shanti.

Since then, every year I make it a point that my promise is renewed and re-evaluated. Last July 21, Brahma Kumari Meera Nagananda, the regional head of the Brahma Kumaris for Southeast Asia, was in Cebu to initiate the renewal of the bond of purity, as again we celebrated this most auspicious festival. There was no singing, no dancing, just people in white reflecting on the year that passed, the now, and the days that are to come. Gathered were people who believe that peace in the world is possible if we ourselves would become peaceful through the purity that we tie ourselves with.

“Purity is thought of in a limited way,” said BK Meera. “People think that if they are Brahmacharya (following the footsteps of Brahma) they are already pure, that is only one aspect. To be pure is to be totally free from vices,” she expounded.

BK Meera explained that the celebration of Raksha Bandhan is a bond between God and the one being tied a rakhi with. “God’s protection comes when I protect my purity. If I do this I am expressing my love for God,” she said.

Raksha Bandhan is a festival full of symbolism.

A rakhi (bracelet) is tied on the right wrist of the person who will be making a promise of giving up a weakness (greed, anger, lust, ego, attachment) that is causing him sorrow. The rakhi serves as the bond that will tie the wearer to this promise.

Rosewater is then sprinkled to signify the shower of blessings that one will get when the promise is kept. “And like a rose in surrender, fragrance will I find,” goes the song that was played throughout the ceremony.

Symbolizing victory, the tilak (a mark of fragrant sandalwood) is applied on the forehead. BK Meera relates: “In the olden days when men go to war, they take blessings from the women. The women would apply a tilak saying: ‘May you be victorious’”.

Toli (sweets) are also given. “This is to remind you to speak sweet words. The sweetness will bring harmony in relationships,” she said.

“Then you receive a blessing,” BK Meera said, adding that the blessing, which comes in the form of sweet words of encouragement, should be accepted with an attitude of gratitude.

“Change (in the world) can’t happen until I change. By letting go of one weakness, God can work with me to spread peace in the world,” BK Meera concluded.

This year, the celebration of Raksha Bandha, the tying of the rakhi, awakened a desire in me – a desire to remain pure, to be pure. And so, on this special day my promise was to take only satyug (pure) food. This will be the start.