Astrology News: The festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated annually on the full moon day (Purnima Tithi) of the Shravan month’s bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha). However, since the Shravan Purnima date spans two days, there is some confusion regarding the exact date of Raksha Bandhan. This year, the Shravan Purnima date falls across two days—August 27 and August 28. Consequently, people are unsure about which day to celebrate the festival and when to tie the Rakhi. Let us find out the correct date and the auspicious time (Muhurat) for the ritual.
August 27 or 28: When is Raksha Bandhan?
According to the Vedic calendar, the Shravan Purnima date begins at 9:08 AM on August 27 and continues until 9:48 AM on August 28. Thus, the Shravan Purnima date prevails throughout the day on August 27 (after 9:08 AM), while it concludes at 9:48 AM on August 28.
In this context, what is the right time to celebrate Raksha Bandhan?
In Hinduism, most festivals are celebrated based on Udayatithi—meaning the lunar date prevailing at sunrise is considered the valid date for that day. Raksha Bandhan falls on Shravan Purnima. On August 27, the Purnima date begins after sunrise; however, on August 28, the Shravan Purnima date is active at the time of sunrise (which is at 5:57 AM). Based on this, celebrating Raksha Bandhan on Friday, August 28, is considered the best option. The Varalakshmi Vrat is also observed on this day; the Varalakshmi Vrat falls on the last Friday of the Shravan month.
Raksha Bandhan: Auspicious time for tying Rakhi
The auspicious time for tying Rakhi on August 28 is from 5:57 AM to 9:48 AM. The auspicious window for the ritual on that day lasts for 3 hours and 51 minutes. Shravan Purnima will prevail throughout the day on August 28. If, for some reason, you are unable to tie the Rakhi at the designated auspicious time, there is no need to worry; you can tie it later, provided you avoid the Rahu Kaal period.
When does Rahu Kaal occur on Raksha Bandhan?
This year, on Raksha Bandhan, Rahu Kaal will begin at 10:46 AM and last until 12:22 PM. Rahu Kaal is considered inauspicious; therefore, no auspicious activities are performed during this time. However, religious rituals to seek relief from Kaal Sarp Dosh are performed during Rahu Kaal.
