Contemporary Trends in Raksha Bandhan
Lumba, A Special Rakhi for Bhabhi the wife of the brother
Jul 23, 2009
The festival of Rakhi has evolved considerably over time and is still changing. This is hardly surprising because the entire ethos of Hinduism is evolving continuously.
Bhabhi Joins the Raksha Bandhan
Rakhi, or Raksha Bandhan as it is also known, originated with the sister tying a sacred thread to her brother’s wrist seeking his vow of protection. Over time the brother’s family was inducted into the ritual. As soon as the brother gets married, the sister starts tying a rakhi to his wife. The brother’s wife in Hindi is called ‘bhabhi’ and she gets a special ‘bhabhi rakhi.’
The inclusion of the bhabhi in the festivities serves two important functions. One should note that traditionally Hindus lived in joint families and most still do.
When the sister ties a rakhi to her bhabhi it makes the new wife feel a part of the family. Also, after marriage, the brother cannot practically fulfill his vow of protection without the consent of his wife. So this practice serves to make the bhabhi a partner to the promise. When her nieces and nephews are born the sister starts tying rakhis to them.
Lumba, A Special Bhabhi Rakhi
There is a special rakhi for the bhabhi. This is known as a ‘lumba’. The rakhi to the bhabhi is not tied on the wrist as it is done in the case of the brother. The lumba is tied to a bangle the bhabhi wears and hangs down like a pendant. Traditionally the lumba was conical in shape with a loop tied to the vertex. This loop was used to tie the lumba to the bangle. The surface of the cone was intricately patterned and the inside was stuffed with a soft material to give it shape.
Today the lumba has become more modernist. The conical shape is no longer mandatory. The lumba is often an intricately designed pendant.
The sophistication and materials used depend on how much one wants to spend for it. In fact, at the highest extreme the lumba becomes an item of jewelry. Precious stones are arranged in such a way that after the festival of Raksha Bandhan the lumba can be converted to ear rings or the pendant for a necklace. Often sisters attach the jeweled lumba to a gold or silver bangle and present their bhabhis with the complete set.
The Bhaiya-bhabhi Rakhi
The latest trend in rakhis is the bhaiya-bhabhi rakhi. ‘Bhaiya’ is the word for brother in Hindi. The bhaiya-bhabhi rakhi is a matching set of rakhis for the brother and his wife. At the lower end of the economic scale the bhaiya-bhabhi rakhis are simple affairs with similar styles. At the costly end they could be a set of matching jewelry fitted as a rakhi and a lumba for the Raksha Bandhan celebrations.
This trend of introducing style and expense in a simple expression of love has been criticized. The argument is that no one really cares for the intent of the festival and all that takes place is a massive show of one-upmanship. The counter argument is that if one can afford to spend, then there should be no objection. After all, some people spend their honeymoon in a motel on the highway and others fly to the South Sea Islands.
Resources
Information on the traditional background of Raksha Bandhan can be found in the article Raksha Bandhan.
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