Rakshabandhan is one of the auspicious festivals that is traditionally celebrated as a festival of love and protection between brothers and sisters. The festival celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. On this special day, sisters tie the sacred thread, or Rakhi, around their brothers' wrists, symbolising their love, care, and prayers for their brothers' well-being. It took on a deeply patriotic and symbolic role in 1905 when Rabindranath Tagore turned it into a tool for social unity and resistance.
Rabindranath Tagore promoted the festival during the partition
In 1905, the British Viceroy Lord Curzon announced the partition of Bengal, claiming administrative convenience. In reality, it was a divide-and-rule strategy, aimed at creating religious rifts by separating the largely Muslim eastern Bengal from the predominantly Hindu western region.
Tagore, a staunch opponent of this communal divide, responded with a powerful cultural movement. He believed that the simple thread of Rakhi can weave the sentiment of people for unity. On Rakshabandhan, he encouraged Hindus and Muslims across Bengal to tie Rakhi to each other as a symbol of unity, protection, and shared identity. He transformed the meaning of the festival from a personal ritual to a public expression of solidarity and brotherhood.
Tagore inspired thousands of people
On that day, the streets of Kolkata and other towns saw processions of people tying rakhis to one another, regardless of religion, caste, or creed. Tagore even wrote poems and songs inspiring people to stand united as "Banga-bhumi's" (Mother Bengal's) children. His aim was to bind hearts, not just wrists.
This movement became a non-violent protest against colonial tactics, showing how culture and tradition could be used as instruments of national integration. In 1911, the British finally withdrew the partition, marking a great victory in the history of India's freedom struggle. Tagore's Rakshabandhan message still resonates today, as a call for harmony, communal peace, and the belief that love can overcome political manipulation.
