Rakhi Festival in Mumbai

Joyful festival of Rakhi is celebrated with much fanfare and euphoria in Mumbai - the City of Dreams. Excitement for the festival is vivid on the faces of brothers and sisters days before the festival as they enthusiastically wait for the traditional occasion when sisters will tie Rakhi on their brothers' wrist and pray for their long life and happiness. Unique feature about celebration of Rakhi Festival in Mumbai is that here it is also celebrated as Nariyali Purnima to propitiate the Sea God - Varuna.

Nariyali Purnima Celebrations in Mumbai
Raksha Bandhan Festival is popularly known as Narial Purnima Festival or Coconut Full Moon by people living in Mumbai's famous beaches. A unique ceremony is carried out to propitiate the Varuna - the Hindu Sea God. Following the custom, fishermen throw auspicious coconuts into the sea and seek blessings of Varuna. It may be noted that the 'three eyes' of coconut are believed to represent the three-eyed Shiva and hence carry tremendous religious significance for Hindus.

Celebrated with joy and enthusiasm in Mumbai, Nariyali Purnima celebrations is not restricted to Bombay alone. This festival is celebrated all over India by the people for whom the sea is a means of living, particularly fishermen. Nariyali Purnima celebrations by Kolis, the fishing tribe of Bombay is well known. To mark the joyous occasion fishermen decorate their boats with colorful flags and take it out to the seas. As they row their boat they sing songs of praise for Lord Varun and finally after worshiping the coconut, immerse it in the seas, as an offering to Lord Varun. With this simple yet meaningful ceremony fishermen request Lord Varuna to bless them with a good supply of fish catch for the coming season.

Raksha Bandhan Celebrations by Bollywood Stars
Raksha Bandhan is celebrated with style and panache by glamorous Bollywod actors and actresses. Photos of popular actresses tying Rakhis on the brother's or cousin's wrist are splashed in news media and get much attention from the public. Rakhi celebrations by Hrithik Roshan and his sister Sunaina, Ekta and Tushaar Kapoor, Amisha and Ashmit Patel etc receive more media attention than others. Besides, these days one can see Raksha Bandhan celebrations being highlighted in popular Hindi soaps. Glamorization of Raksha Bandhan helps to highlight the significance of festival and make it even more popular amongst the youth and kids.

Raksha Bandhan Celebrations in Mumbai
Passionate and enthusiastic people of amchi Mumbai celebrate Raksha Bandhan in style and festive grace. Most innovative and creative Rakhis first make their way to Rakhi stalls in Bombay. Gift marketers too push their latest and designer Rakhi gifts products first to the style conscious city of Mumbai. To mark the day, men and women dress themselves in ethnic yet stylish clothes for the occasion and celebrate the festival with thrill and joy. Just as in rest of India, sisters tie Rakhi on their brother's wrist and pray for their health and happiness. Brothers pamper their sisters' with gifts and promise to protect them from all hardships in life. Entire family joins to relish the festive food and there is happiness all around.