Raksha Bandhan AKA Rakhi

Today... is Rakhi AKA Raksha Bandhan. It is a kind of festival celebrated across India. On this day.. sisters tie a little piece of (often colourful) string on their bro's right hand (Something like a friendship band). My sis sent me a Rakhi (as this string is called) and asked me to get a girl to tie it in her stead. I got a friend to tie it for me and gave her chocolates.

The Rakhi is used to signify a promise to help and protect. A promise to be there to help. Girls dont only tie a Rakhi for their brothers. In some parts of the country... women tie a Rakhi to their husband. Some tie Rakhi's to good friends who have been there for them. Sometimes... it is not that nice. Especially in school... some girls will go and tie a rakhi to those guys in their class who claim to love them. Then... it theoretically becomes a brother sister relationship... and he cannot 'chase' her after that. But then again... such things dont really matter in the long run. If a guy and girl end up liking each other, such fake rakhi relationships dont hold.

Rakhi is not necessarily for Hindu's. There is a famous story of a hindu queen in India (Rani Padmini or something like that). She was attacked by her enemies. Her husband died in battle. In those times, the women of a kingdom would commit suicide by jumping into a fire rather than let themselves be captured by the enemy. In a desperate attempt, she sent a messenger with a Rakhi to the Mughal Emperor. (I believe it was Humayun, the father of the famous Akbar... and great grandfather of Shah Jahan who built the famous Taj Mahal). The emperor was so touched that he immediately set out with a Big army to help the queen. Unfortunately, he was too late. The queen had commited suicide in the fire to protect her 'honour'. But her 'brother', the mughal emperor, routed her enemies and set the queen's young son on the throne as king. That can be the power attributed to that string... that friendship band.

All said and done.. it is a nice custom.

I had a greatt weekend. I ended up driving 950 miles in all... but it was worth it. I got to spend time with 2 girls!!! Well... they are just friends (More like rakhi sisters....) but still!! I got lost in Louisville...(though some excellent (uhummmm) navigators got me back on track). Just the great company was worth it.

Need to call my parents. And my grandmas.

Ok...I have this urge to shave all my facial hair. It almost makes me feel feminine... but hey.. if it surprises / impresses the girls..it may be worth it.

Awriight... what else. I need to put up some pics.

Ok... classes are taking their toll. I started falling asleep in classes already. I came home at 1:45 am, and sat down doing HW. Slept at 4:15 and woke up at 9 to continue working on it. Not enough sleep == sleep in class!! Bah
And no..I AM NOT a homework maniac. Just that... I need to do homework if I have any intention of understanding a class / doing well in my exams:)

take care pplz. I'll be back soon enough!!