Bonds of love reaffirmed as Rakhi celebrated with gusto

Raksha Bandhan, the festival that reaffirms the treasured bond of love and care between brothers and sisters, was celebrated on Sunday across the country with great enthusiasm.

Feasting, merry-making and exchange of gifts marked the the day as women, dressed in their fineries, tied 'rakhis' on their brothers' wrists praying for their well being, while brothers, in turn, vowed to protect them.

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Markets were abuzz as shops selling colourful rachis (sacred threads) of different shapes were thronged by hundreds. Sweet shops were doing brisk business as women bought sweets in large numbers.

Women from all walks of life and schoolchildren tied rakhis on the wrist of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Race Course Road residence in New Delhi.

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Widows from Vrindavan and Varanasi, women members of various organisations including BJP Mahila Morcha, Delhi Sikh Pratinidhi Sabha, schoolchildren, specially-abled children and women MPs from Gujarat were among those who tied rakhi on the Prime Minister's wrist.

The Prime Minister greeted the people of the country on "the auspicious festival of Raksha Bandhan". Several other leaders also greeted the people on the occasion.

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In the national capital, heavy rains failed to dampen the festive spirit.

Amritpal Kaur of Jalandhar in Punjab celebrated the festival by tying a rakhi on the plaque built in the memory of her brother, Kamaljeet Singh, who got martyrdom on December 4, 1971 while fighting the Pakistani forces.

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Singh was posted in 20 Border Security Force (BSF) battalion at Simbal Sakole post of Gurdaspur district. Kaur has been tying rakhi on his interment, constructed by the force at Simbal Border Out Post (BoP), for the past 40 years.

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Raksha Bandhan was also celebrated in Ambala Central jail in Haryana where scores of women tied rakhis on the wrists of their brothers, lodged in the prison. The jail authorities had made special arrangements for the occasion.

"We also provided rakhis and sweets to some of the women inmates so that they could participate in the joyous occasion by tying rakhi on their visiting brothers," said an official of the jail which houses 1,200 male and 80 female inmates.