Thaindian News

Lucknow, Aug 13 (IANS) Raksha Bandhan celebrations Saturday spread all over in Uttar Pradesh as the festival was celebrated with traditional pomp and gaiety. Sisters tied the ‘bond of love’ or rakhi on the wrist of their brothers, who in turn assured them full protection.

From early morning, women and girls in new clothes were seen moving on two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws to reach the residence of their brothers in Lucknow, the state capital.

“As I have seven cousins - all residing in the city’s different localities that are far-off from my residence in Aliganj area, I left my house at around 6.30 a.m. so that I can pass some quality time with all my brothers,” housewife Anuradha Chitranshi told IANS.

While the sisters applied “tilak” on the forehead of their brothers, prayed for their long life and tied rakhis, the brothers in return showered gifts on them.

“On every Raksha Bandhan, I used to get new clothes, but this time my brother, who recently got a job in a multi-national software company, surprised me by gifting a jewellery set,” Namita Mathur, a resident of Vikas Nagar, told IANS.

Several Muslim families, particularly in the old city areas, too participated in the festivities.

“As I have no real sister, the wife of my Hindu neighbour not only ties rakhi on my wrist, but also cooks my favourite dishes. We have been celebrating Raksha Bandhan like this for the last nearly 10 years,” Zafar Iqbal, who runs a tailoring unit in Chowk locality, told IANS.

Some housewives, who had no brother to tie the rakhis to, observed the festival by offering rakhis to the deities placed in their houses and at temples.