Raksha Bandan

Hindu festival in which brothers and sisters show that they care for each other; cousins also count as siblings in Hindu families. It is celebrated July/August. A sister will tie a bracelet, or rakhi, made of thread around her brother's right wrist, usually with flowers attached to it. In return, a brother will give his sister presents, sweets, or money to show that they will love and protect them. In recent years, the sentiment and giving of a rakhi has sometimes extended outside the family to friends, irrespective of caste and creed.

For some Hindus, the festival commemorates how Vishnu helped the wife of Indra, god of the sky, to aid her husband in his battle against the demon Bali. Bali had driven Indra out of his celestial kingdom, but Vishnu gave Indra's wife a silken thread to put on Indra's wrist as a lucky talisman. It enabled him to defeat Bali and regain his kingdom.