Let’s Talk about ‘Raksha Bandhan’
Patriarchy has a way of gift-wrapping insults with the packaging of love. “Raksha” is a beautiful concept — something we naturally do for one another within a healthy community. Our doctors offer Raksha to our physical health, and the security guard who stands vigilant outside embodies Raksha with their intent to protect, as does the dog who would give its life to safeguard you from harm. Even a stranger who protects us in our hour of need is an agent of Raksha. Many sisters defend their brothers, just as many brothers protect their sisters.
So unless we are celebrating everyone who protects, the notion of assigning the role of protector exclusively to one gender and casting the other as needing protection feels fundamentally flawed.
This is, at best, a thoughtless act or, at worst, a covert form of impacting the self-esteem of one gender, implying that no matter what they achieve or contribute to protecting the people in their lives or the world at large, on this day, we will only celebrate our men for their protection and tell women they will at all times be the ones needing protection.
The irony is glaring: in a country entrenched in patriarchy, where, according to 2021 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, a man sexually violates a woman every four hours, where everyday sexism is so profoundly normalized that it barely raises an eyebrow, where phrases like “behen ch@od” are casually tossed around, even among the educated. Where most women first encounter abuse not from strangers but from their own patriarchally empowered brothers — brothers who control their sisters, dictating what they should wear or do under the guise of protection or remain utterly unbothered by stark discriminations.
In a nation where statistics reveal that we are still decades away from achieving pay parity, where women hold less than 15% of parliamentary seats in 2024, and where Indian women shoulder 5 to 6 hours of unpaid labor daily compared to the 1.5 to 2 hours men contribute, isn’t it time we felt ashamed of perpetuating this charade? By clinging to these outdated notions, we are teaching men and women both to gaslight themselves into accepting a reality that diminishes their worth.
How about we come together, as men and women, to make this a better world for all beings? Let’s recognize and protect each other’s unique strengths with fierce passion. Let’s protect the animals, the ecosystem, justice, truth, and the beauty within. One thing that resonates strongly with Vedic traditions is the law of Karma. If you get lost in your privileges, remember that’s temporary — who knows if you’ll have to experience the life of the oppressed someday?
It’s time to redefine Raksha Bandhan. Let’s make it a celebration of mutual respect, cooperation, and protection, where everyone — regardless of gender — stands strong for one another.
Raksha Bandh, Sahyog Shuru.
