Children's book 'Raashi's Rakhis' brings a new twist to the Hindu holiday of Raksha Bandhan

The beloved Hindu holiday of Raksha Bandhan is just a few weeks away. The holiday revolves around family, with plenty of eating, dancing and celebrating.

‘Raksha’ means ‘protection,’ and ‘Bandhan’ means ‘tie.’ In holiday tradition, the sisters of the families tie bracelets called rakhis onto their brothers as a symbol of protection as they venture out into the world.

Author, activist and actress Sheetal Sheth’s new children's book "Raashi's Rakhis" centers around Raksha Bandhan. In the story, the main character Raashi decides to put her spin on the family’s celebration. She finds it unfair that only the boys get the protective rakhis.

Sheth says she had thoughts similar to Raashi’s when she was growing up and celebrating Raksha Bandhan, but relatives told her it was just how it’s always been done. She says that sometimes the origins of traditions are unknown, even by the people who practice them.

“When I looked into it and saw the history of it, I realized like many things, there is such a patriarchal layer to this,” Sheth says. “Why can't we update things? Why can't we challenge and decide what connects with our values, especially because I am so connected to my culture? And I'm not trying to betray it or not practice it, but I also need to feel aligned with it.”

By Sheetal Sheth

Published by Random House Children's Books. Text copyright 2024 by Sheetal Sheth. Illustrations copyright 2024 by Lucia Soto. All rights reserved