Rakhri is known as the festival of love between a brother and sister.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was nine years old and according to the custom among the higher castes of Hindus, he was required to invest himself with the sacred thread called 'Janaeu' (to show a bond between a person and God). Great preparations were made by his father for this ceremony. The family priest named Hardyal, started chanting Mantras (Hindu hymns) and was ready to put the thread around Guru's neck when he refused to wear it. The whole assembly was astonished. They tried to persuade him in every way to wear the Janaeu but in vain. Then the Guru uttered the following Shabad:
"Though men commit countless thefts, countless adultery,
Utter countless falsehoods and countless words of abuse;
Though they commit countless robberies and villainies night and day against their fellow creatures;
Yet the cotton thread is spun, and the Brahman cometh to twist it.
For the ceremony they kill a goat and cook and eat it, and everybody then says 'Put on the Janaeu'.
When it becomes old, it is thrown away, and another is put on,
Nanak, the string breaks not if it is strong."
(Asa di Var, Mohalla 1, Ang-471-Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
The priest in utter despair asked, "What kind of sacred thread O Nanak, would you wear?" The Guru replied,
"Out of the cotton of compassion
Spin the thread of contentment
Tie knots of continence,
Give it twist of truth.
That would make a Janaeu for the soul,
If thou have it, O Brahman, put it on me.
Such a thread once worn will never break
Nor get soiled, burnt or lost,
The man who wears such a thread is blessed."
(Asa di Var, Slok Mohalla 1, Ang-471-Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (when he was a kid) rejected the spiritual thread that the Hindu Brahmins consider makes them connected to God; in the midst of all the learned Pundits, Brahmins and his own father, would that same Guru accept the far more earthy thread called a ‘rakhi’ If Guru Nanak dev Ji could challenge the Brahmins and reject outright the janeu, he would never contradict himself by accepting another thread? You don’t need a thread to show love between a brother and sister, there is no logic in this practice. The love should be in the heart!
In a painting I came across on a website, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is being depicted to have a raakhi being tied on his wrist by his sister Bebe Nanaki. This is nothing more than a work of fiction. The motives of the artist are unknown; I think personally it is a tactic developed by the RSS (extremist Hindu group), who are trying to dilute Sikhism into Hinduism. This picture is slanderous and is a great disrespect to Guru ji, who would never take part in meaningless rituals.
We Put Gurbani on a rakhri, if our Gurus didn't believe in threads what right have we got to do this? Plus when they break they drop on the floor or people drink and smoke with them on. Gurbani is not a fashion accessory!
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji stated in his Bani: “As long as the Khalsa remains distinct, I will bless them with glory, but if the Khalsa follows the ways of the Brahmans I will not help them.” It is disrespectful to Guru Ji when we tie rakhris (Brahman ceremony) around Guru Ji's palki. Even if we take part in the ceremony at home, our Guru will not help us. It’s up to us youngsters to get rid of the false rituals that our parents allowed to creep in to the Sikh community, let’s not fail our children from Guru Ji's path.
We need to show warm love from the heart for our brothers and sisters!
Rakhri is a Hindu festival and an Indian culture; it has no place in the life of the KHALSA!
The faithful do not follow empty religious rituals. -Ang 3-Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
