Indian Hindu Holiday (Raksha Bandhan) Bracelets: "Rakhi" Bracelets

These Hindu "rakhi" bracelets are used for the festival of Raksha Bandhan, a festival for brothers and sisters that ties them to each other for life. "Raksha" means protection and "bandhan" means to tie.

At this holiday, brothers and sisters reaffirm the strong bond of affection and care between each other. The sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist, praying to protect him from illness and accidents. The brother in turn gives the sister a present often of money, and promises to look after her.

Some bracelets have a swastika decorations on them, symbolizing prosperity. The Hindus use the swastika symbol to mark the opening pages of their account books, thresholds, doors, and offerings. Other rakhis have the word "aum," the sacred sound for God.

Hinduism is the oldest living religion, about 4,000 – 5,000 years old. Hindu people believe that Brahman is the creator, preserver and transformer of existence. Gods that are part of Brahman include Vishnu, the preserver god, and Shiva, the god of destruction. Hinduism came from India. No one person founded the religion. There are many Hindu holy books. Hindus honor their deities through worship. Hindus tell stories of the ways that the gods interact with each other and with humans. Hindus believe in rebirth after death (reincarnation); their goal is to escape the movement of the soul into another body and to become one with Brahman.
Source:
http://www.rakhiindia.com/when-is-rakhi.html
“Rakhi.” Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press, 2013. 11 Oct 2013. http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/rakhi?q=rakhi
"swastika." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013.