Howard Gets Rahki'd

Howard participates in the Indian ceremony called Raksha Bandhan.

Hey folks, Did you know that I have acquired a sister?

Yes, that's right, her name is Pravarna and I have sworn to protect her forever!

Actually, I participated in an East Indian tradition last week. After I interviewed Pravarna and her husband Amar, she told me that on this day each year she and her brothers perform a ceremony called Raksha Bandhan.

The Hindi ceremony celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. A brother will vow to protect his sister. In return she ties a bracelet called a Rahki to his wrist, feeds him sweets to eat and places the traditional dab of red paint to his forehead.
Any male can be "adopted" as a brother by tying the Rahki on the person. The Rahki can also be tied on special occasions to show solidarity and kinship.

It's always great to learn something about a different culture.