Raksha Bandhan

Significance

Raksha Bandhan falls on the full moon (Purnima) of the lunar month of Shravana, when a sister ties a rakhi -- a sacred protective thread -- on her brother's wrist and he pledges to protect and support her. The thread itself carries the astrological weight of the day: Purnima is ruled by a full, radiant Moon, and tying the rakhi during Purnima tithi is what makes the ritual complete. The date shifts every year because Purnima is a lunar tithi, not a fixed solar date.

Muhurat & Timing

The rakhi should be tied while Purnima tithi is still active and outside of Bhadra kaal, a period classical Muhurat Shastra treats as inauspicious for this specific ritual. For 2026, Purnima tithi runs from the morning of August 27 into the morning of August 28, with the festival observed on August 28 because that is the day Purnima tithi is present at sunrise. The clear morning window before Bhadra sets in is considered the most auspicious time to tie the thread.

Date verification: Verified against drikpanchang.com's Raksha Bandhan page for New Delhi: Purnima tithi begins 9:08 AM Aug 27 and ends 9:48 AM Aug 28, 2026, with the festival observed Aug 28.