Dressed in colourful attire and in a festive mood, predominantly young worshippers gathered at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal to observe the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan.

Raksha Bandhan is a popular and traditionally Hindu annual rite or ceremony that is central to a festival of the same name celebrated in South Asia. It is also celebrated in other parts of the world that are significantly influenced by Hindu culture.

Hindus around the world celebrate Raksha Bandhan in lots of different ways. Usually, it involves the sister tying a bracelet around her brother’s wrist.

As there is no major Hindu temple in the Potohar region, Hindus from across the area, including parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, celebrate the festival at Gurdwara Punja Sahib, making it a symbol of vibrant faith, community and interfaith harmony.

Some young women tied the sacred thread, or rakhi, around their brothers’ wrists on-site, while others took their thalis home, intending to perform the ritual later in the day.

Traditionally, the rakhi is tied around a brother’s right wrist by his sister after puja, when the full moon appears during the Hindu month of Shravana.

Many girls and women also performed the ritual early in the morning before their brothers left for school, college, work or other commitments.

Over 3,000 Hindu and Sikh devotees participated in the celebrations.

Sardar Gulber Singh, a local granthi (religious leader), said Raksha Bandhan is marked on the full moon of Sawan, or Shravana, which usually falls in August.

He described it as “not only a festival of siblings but also a celebration of the sacred bond of humanity between men and women”.

Sardar Ravinder Singh Jaggi traced the tradition back to the Vedic period, recounting the legend in which Indrani, wife of Lord Indra, tied a protective thread to his wrist during a battle against demons. Known initially as the Raksha Sutra, it later came to be called Raksha Bandhan.

There are many myths and legends attributed to Raksha Bandhan, one of which is about Lord Krishna injuring his hand which was quickly bandaged by Daupadi who tore off a strip of cloth from her saree’s pallu to stop the bleeding. She always looked up to him as a brother.

Inside the temple, stalls displayed intricately designed rakhis with colourful threads, beads and stones.

Those imported from India were considered the most expensive and durable, priced between Rs500 and Rs900, while locally made versions, mostly from Mirpurkhas, cost Rs200 to Rs300.

Neha Kumar, a 22-year-old college student from Peshawar, tied a rakhi around her father Dr Kumar’s wrist. Many devotees also tied the sacred thread to Lord Krishna’s idol as a symbolic act of seeking divine protection.

Ananya Devi, a schoolteacher from Kohat, said: “Our brothers promise to protect us every year on Raksha Bandhan.”

Durvish Chakra from Buner added that the ritual symbolises the sister’s wish for her brother’s long life so he can continue to protect her.

Sweet shops and bakeries in Hassanabdal saw brisk business as sisters traditionally offer sweets to their brothers, who, in return, present gifts such as saris or jewellery.

Ashok Kumar, a devotee from Shikarpur, Sindh, praised the arrangements made by the Evacuee Trust Property Board, saying visitors were satisfied with the safety, accommodation and facilities, and that the celebrations had proceeded without any disturbances.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025