Raksha Bandhan Greetings from the RSS....

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh VISHWA VIBHAG

“Keshava Kripa’, Shankarapuram, Bangalore – 560 004

August 17, 2008: Hindu girls tying
rakhi to Muslim boys on 'Raksha 
Bandhan' in  Ahmadabad 
Photo: PTI

Dear Swayamsevak Brothers,
Namaskar and warm greetings to you and your family on the sacred occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Kindly accept enclosed herewith a Rakhi – which is a symbol of love and affection. Rakhi not just celebrates the sublime relationship of a brother and a sister but also reinforces and strengthens the family values.

‘Family’ has been central to the Hindu way of life. It has sustained our culture and our traditions and kept the thread of Dharma alive. Of late, economists all over the world are recognizing that a strong family system has enabled Bharath to withstand recessions and even emerge stronger out of them.

Un-Islamic....??!!
A Muslim girl tying "Rakhi" 
to a man in Bikaner, India.
Photo: Gulam Rasul

Rakhi’s significance goes beyond the bounds of the family. The Rakhi symbolizes the bonds of love, protection, and brotherhood among all human beings. It inspires us to fulfill our responsibilities towards the society and promote an atmosphere of universal love and oneness, paving the way for global peace.

As Swayamsevaks, we tie Rakhi to Bhagawa Dhwaj and thereby resolve to protect Dharma and our culture. The way to protect Dharma and culture is to live the values enshrined in them and also sow the seeds of the tradition in the next generation. In the current scenario where families are struggling to pass on the cultural heritage to the next generation, it’s important to strengthen the institution of family and at the same time develop programs like Balagokulams(Bal Shakha). Such organized programs provide the much needed confidence to the children in taking forward our identity and also equip them to contribute to the society with a solid foundation of Hindu values.

In an article titled “We are all Hindus now” in Newsweek Magazine (dated Aug 24-31, 2009), the author has observed that more and more Americans are conceptually becoming Hindus and embracing Hindu ideas of rebirth and accepting that there are multiple paths to reach God.  In such an atmosphere of acceptance, we must realize our responsibilities as the inheritors of a great civilization and contribute towards creating a more just and harmonious world.
-----Coordinator Vishwa Vibhag, RSS Bangalore

Courtsey: Vishwa Samvada Kendra, Karnataka