Raksha bandan, Adelaide style

The Hindu festival marking the brother-sister bond and signifying protection, takes on a whole new meaning

BY LP AYER

It was a rather special Rakshabandhan for Adelaide’s Indian community this year, thanks to the Vishva Hindu Parishad. The traditional concept of Rakshabandan - brothers assuring protection to their sisters in return for getting a rakhi (thread bracelet) tied around their wrists - was taken to another level, bestowing it an expanded role for the protection of the wider community. By inviting representatives of major service organisations like the SA Ambulance, State Emergency Services, Fire

Brigade and the Police, who are at the front and centre of community protection, tying ‘rakhis’ on their wrists and generously applauding their selfless service, VHS has made the festival’s significance known to outside the Indian community.

Also launched on the occasion was another laudable initiative, the ‘Hindu Helpline’, a counselling service for women by women. A team of specially trained women, including five from India and one each from Bhutan, Nepal, Fiji and Bangladesh, well-versed in a variety of languages, will be available on phone 24/7 to counsel women in need of confidential advice on issues of concern to them.

This Rakshabandan event, held for the second successive year, also included honouring 145 volunteers from various sections of the Indian community in a variety of fields. VHP took up the responsibility to organise it on behalf of its umbrella organisation HOTA (Hindu Organisations, Temples and Associations Forum) that has forty groups, including two from Nepal and one from Bangladesh, under its wing. ‘Respecting women’ and ‘Universal Fellowship’ formed the theme of the evening’s event that resonated well in every guest speaker’s address.

Volunteers were awarded certificates in recognition of their work in various fields by the chief guest, Jing Lee, Assistant Minister to the Premier on Multicultural Affairs. The award categories included Tejaswini Award for women of substantial contribution, Kautilya Award for entrepreneurs of the year, a HOTA Volunteer Award for adults, an Abhimanyu Award for youth, and Agastya Award for senior citizens. A young lady who donates blood on her birthday every year received the ‘jeevandaan’ award.

A colourful booklet giving brief details of all these recipients’ work was released on this occasion along with access information of the ‘Hindu Hotline’ team.

In total, the event came off after monthlong efforts and is a testimony to the organising skill of VHP volunteers with the guidance of its president Rajendra Pandey. The function lasting four hours ended with a dinner for about three hundred attendees.