The festival of Narali Purnima and Rakhi have a special significance in India. Every year, these two festivals are celebrated on the same day in the month of Shravan. Narali Purnima celebrates the first day of the monsoon season, while Rakhi is a festival of love and protection between brothers and sisters.
The festival of Narali Purnima marks the beginning of harvest season – a period of abundance and prosperity. This is why it is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India, especially in Konkan regions. The festival is celebrated by offering prayers to Lord Varuna – the God of Water, for abundant rains and plentiful harvest.
Rakhi, on the other hand, is a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters tie a sacred thread around their brothers’ wrists and pray for their long life, prosperity and happiness. In return, brothers give them gifts and promise to protect them in all situations.
In the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Narali Purnima is known as Avani Avittam. However, it is called Kajri Purnima in the states of North India like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
This year, Narali Purnima falls on August 30 just like Raksha Bandhan. On this day, people in India offer prayers to Lord Varun for his blessings and abundant rains during the harvest season. They also exchange gifts with their siblings and tie sacred threads around their wrists as a sign of brother-sister bond.
It is said that by celebrating both festivals together, siblings can come closer to each other and create an unbreakable bond of love and protection. So if you are looking for an opportunity to celebrate your bond with your sibling, don’t miss out on Narali Purnima 2023!