On the full moon day in the monsoon month of Bhadrapad, Rakhadumni festival
is celebrated. The married sisters visit their father's house on this
day and tie the sacred rakhi around their brother's wrists. They are received
warmly and presented with gifts of money and clothes. The family priests
also go to the houses of their patrons (yajman) and tie rakhi on their
wrists, thus blessing them. Women who do not have a brother tie rakhi
unto other fellow villagers and thus make a new brother. The rakhi threads
remain on the wrist for a whole month and when the Sairi festival comes
at the end of the month they are removed and offered to Mother Sairi.
