Raksha Bandhan 2026 and 2027: date, muhurat and meaning

The traditional guidance is to tie the rakhi after Bhadra has ended, ideally during aparahna, the afternoon segment that forms the fourth of five equal parts of the daytime. If Bhadra stretches through the afternoon, the evening pradosh period after sunset is the next choice. Because these windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, a time published for Delhi (as on this page) can differ in your city; check a local panchang.

Bhadra is the period when Vishti karana runs, and Hindu almanacs treat it as unfavourable for auspicious beginnings. A popular story says Surpanakha tied a rakhi on Ravana during Bhadra, and his downfall followed. Whether or not one takes the story literally, most families simply wait until Bhadra ends. Some traditions consider Bhadra less troublesome when it is said to reside in the netherworld, so local practice varies.

Yes. Raksha Bandhan is about a promise of love and protection, and that is not limited to brothers. Many sisters tie rakhis on each other, and some women tie one on their mother or a close friend. Rakhis are also tied on cousins, sisters-in-law, soldiers, trees and teachers. Families without a brother often celebrate this way, and nobody sees it as breaking any rule.

Post it two to three weeks ahead, since international mail around the festival is slow, or order through a seller that delivers locally abroad. Your brother should tie it according to his own city's timings, because Bhadra and sunrise there differ from India. If nobody is around to tie it, he can tie it himself while you perform the tilak and aarti over a video call.

There is no strict rule. In many North Indian families the sister does not eat until she has tied the rakhi and fed her brother a sweet, and the brother often waits too. Others eat normally. It is a matter of family custom and personal feeling. Elderly, pregnant or unwell women who wish to observe the custom often keep only a short or light fast.

There is no single rule. Some people keep it on until Janmashtami, some remove it before Pitru Paksha begins, and others take it off after a few days. When removing it, many families avoid throwing it in the bin and instead tie it to a tree or let it flow in a river or other clean water. Following whatever your elders have done is perfectly fine.