Raksha Bandhan 2024: How this Indian festival is changing and breaking gender roles

Raksha Bandhan is an Indian festival where sisters tie a sacred thread around their brother's wrist. The origin of the festival, as per Hindu mythology is when Lord Krishna cut his little finger when handling sugarcane and Draupadi tore a portion of her saree and tied it around his finger to stop the bleeding. Touched by her gesture, Krishna promised to protect her forever. Since then Raksha Bandhan has been celebrated by brothers and sisters with brothers promising to protect their sisters lifelong.

However, in today's world, where women's empowerment and gender-neutral perspectives have become central issues, the Indian Festival of Raksha Bandhan has evolved to be more than just brothers protecting sisters.

The new generation embraces gender inclusivity and challenges traditional gender norms. From advertisements to gender-neutral rakhis, the brother-sister festival has evolved beyond the idea of brothers protecting sisters. In recent times, Rakhi has become more inclusive, with sisters tying rakhis to each other or brothers tying rakhis to their elder sisters. Let's explore how these changes have unfolded over the years.

Role of celebrities

Film celebrities have an immense influence on fans. From Kriti Sanon-Nupur Sanon tying rakhis to each other to Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone tying rakhi to her bodyguard, film celebrities show how rakhi is not limited to a brother-sister concept.

In 2018, South star Shruti Haasan spoke up about how she challenged Raksha Bandhan's gender norms by tying rakhi to her mother. She told ETimes. "I don’t have brothers, but I have cousins and we end up going all the way to where they stay to tie them rakhi. A few days ago, my mother said, ‘Let’s tie rakhi to each other this year.’ I turned around and asked her how that’s possible because it is meant for brothers and sisters. That’s when she asked why the festival should be restricted to just brothers and sisters. She also added why we couldn’t protect each other. I immediately agreed. So, this year, I will be tying a rakhi to my mother.”

And so she did!

Role of advertisements and social media

Advertisements have helped bring a huge change. While the spirit of Rakhi is still alive, how we celebrate the festival has changed over the years, as explained well by a Man Company advertisement featuring actor Ayushmann Khurrana. In the short ad, Ayushmann ties a Raksha Bandhan to his elder sister, since she had been the one protecting him since childhood.

During the coronavirus pandemic, an ad by Mankind caught everyone's attention. Breaking gender norms and invoking the sentiment of gratitude towards ‘corona warriors’, a Covid patient was seen tying Rakhi around one of the hospital staffs' wrists, seeking their protection.

Another advertisement that questioned gender norms was a Ford ad featuring Kalki, which showed the actor tying rakhi to herself, as only she can protect herself.

A 2016 Taniqsh ad hit all the right spots when it celebrated the sister-sibling bond by showing how even sisters celebrate Raksha Bandhan and protect each other.

Role of the LGBTIQA+ community

While Raksha Bandhan is a cherished festival for straight individuals, the LGBTIQA+ community has always faced discomfort when it comes to celebrating a gender-norm-abiding festival. In 2023, the LGBTQIA+ community in Lucknow arranged for a gender-free rakhi celebration, ensuring tie rakhis to everyone regardless of gender.

In an article by MensXP, Meghna Sahoo, a prominent face within the transgender community spoke about how she always wanted to be the one tying the rakhi, but born as a man, she failed to do so. But years later, now she can tie rakhis on her brothers' wrists. A celebration indeed!

As we celebrate the day with our brothers, sisters and the LGBTIQA+ community, let us break more gender norms while keeping the spirit of Rakhi alive.