Raksha Bandhan 2027
A thread tied on a wrist, and a promise that comes with it.
Countdown to Rakhi 2027
Dates
When is Raksha Bandhan?
Raksha Bandhan 2027 falls on Tuesday, 17 August 2027.
Shravana Purnima falls on Tuesday 17 Aug.
Date checked against publicholidays.in
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 28 August 2026Fri | 1 day | Past |
| 2027 | 17 August 2027Tue | 1 day | Confirmed |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Food & Harvest
- Tradition
- Hindu
- Where
- New Delhi, Delhi
- Crowd
- Celebrated across India
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
On one full-moon morning, sisters tie a thread on their brothers' wrists, sweets are exchanged, and the post office and courier vans across India work overtime.
Raksha Bandhan falls on the full moon of the month of Shravana. A sister ties a rakhi — anything from a simple cotton thread to an elaborate decorated band — on her brother's wrist, marks his forehead with tilak and feeds him a sweet. He gives a gift in return and a promise of protection.
In practice the bond has widened: cousins, close friends and neighbours tie rakhis, sisters tie them on each other, and those who live far apart send them by post. Markets in Delhi, from Chandni Chowk to neighbourhood stalls, fill with rakhis and sweets in the week before.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Rakhi
Traditions
What actually happens
- Tying the rakhi — usually in the morning, after the family has prayed together.
- Aarti and tilak — the sister circles a lamp before her brother and marks his forehead.
- Gift exchange — brothers give money or presents, and many siblings now exchange both ways.
- Avoiding Bhadra — families check the almanac so the thread is not tied during an inauspicious period.
Food
The table, widened
- Ghevar — a disc-shaped, honeycombed sweet from Rajasthan that appears in shops in the monsoon season.
- Boxes of kaju katli, laddoos and barfi exchanged between households.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Film songs about brothers and sisters are a staple on the day, played at home and in markets. In many families the morning prayer is accompanied by simple devotional songs.
Religion
Why this date
The thread carries the idea of raksha, protection. Popular stories include Draupadi binding Krishna's wounded finger with a strip of her sari, and Yamuna tying a thread for her brother Yama. On the same full moon many communities observe other rites, such as Upakarma, the renewal of the sacred thread, and Narali Purnima, an offering to the sea on the Konkan coast.
History
How it survived
Customs of tying protective threads are old in South Asia, and many stories have grown up around the festival, some of them historically uncertain. In 1905 Rabindranath Tagore used rakhi-tying as a symbol of unity between Hindus and Muslims in protest against the partition of Bengal.
History
How it got here
Customs of tying protective threads are old in South Asia, and many stories have grown up around the festival, some of them historically uncertain. In 1905 Rabindranath Tagore used rakhi-tying as a symbol of unity between Hindus and Muslims in protest against the partition of Bengal.
Ancient
Protective threads
Tying threads for protection appears in many early South Asian rituals.
1905
Bengal
Tagore organises rakhi-tying across communities to protest the partition of Bengal.
Today
Rakhi by post
India Post and couriers run special services to deliver rakhis across the country and abroad.
Travel & practical
Visiting New Delhi for Rakhi
Getting there
Delhi is served by Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). The festival is celebrated at home across India.
Where to see it
Old Delhi's markets are busiest in the days before, with stalls of rakhis and sweets.
Practical notes
It is largely a family occasion. Expect heavy travel the day before as people go home, and many offices observe a holiday.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Raksha Bandhan: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Raksha Bandhan.
When is Raksha Bandhan in 2026 and 2027?
Raksha Bandhan falls on Friday 28 August 2026 and Tuesday 17 August 2027, the full moon of the month of Shravana in each year.
What time should the rakhi be tied?
Families usually check a local almanac to avoid the Bhadra period. The best time varies each year and by city.
Is it only for brothers and sisters by birth?
No. Cousins, friends and others who share a protective bond also tie rakhis.
Is Raksha Bandhan a public holiday?
It is a restricted or optional holiday at the national level and a public holiday in some states.
Also in August 2027
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