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The festival includes the tying of rakhi, a holy thread, on the brother’s wrist. It defines and determines the love and relationship between a brother and sister. It is said that the frail thread is even stronger than iron chains since the rakhi bonds brother and sister. It is a festival that expresses love and protection. The brother is supposed to accept the rakhi and show his love by gifts and money. He is also bound by his sister’s love and pledges to protect her from danger. [...]
Rakhi can be traced historically too in the following two incidents:
1. When the Rajputs were fighting the Muslim invaders. Rani Karnawati, the widow of then king of Chittor, realised that she could not resist an invasion from Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat. She sent a rakhi to Humayun for protection from Bahadur Shah. Humayun accepted the rakhi and immediately turned his vast troops to defend Chittor and fulfil his duty as a brother.

2. This incident traces back to 300 BC when Alexander the Great was invading India. At the first attempt he was shaken by King Porus. Alexander’s wife, who had heard of “rakhi” approached King Porus and tied one around his wrist. He accepted her as a sister. During the war when Alexander fell from his chariot and King Porus was about to slay him, he remembered the rakhi given to him and drew his sword away.