Shravana Pournami brings three celebrations together: sisters tie the rakhi on their brothers' wrists, those who wear the sacred thread change it in the Upakarma ritual – hence Jandhyala Purnima – and devotees worship Lord Hayagriva, the protector of the Vedas, on his Jayanti.
Festival Dates
Introduction
The full moon of the month of Shravana – Shravana Pournami, usually in August – is a day of three celebrations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana:
- Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi Pournami) – the festival of the bond between brothers and sisters;
- Jandhyala Purnima – the day of Upakarma, when the sacred thread (jandhyam) is renewed;
- Hayagriva Jayanti – the appearance day of Lord Hayagriva, the horse-faced form of Lord Vishnu who restored the Vedas.
Significance and Legend
Raksha Bandhan means "the bond of protection". According to tradition, when Lord Krishna's finger was cut, Draupadi tore a strip from her sari and tied it around the wound, and Krishna promised to protect her always – a promise he kept in her hour of need. The Puranas also tell how Indrani tied a sacred thread on Indra's wrist before his battle with the asuras. The rakhi carries the same prayer: love and protection in both directions.
Upakarma means "the beginning" – the renewal of Vedic study. Those who have received the sacred thread through Upanayanam put on a new yajnopavitam with prayers, atoning for lapses of the past year and resolving to study and recite the Vedas with fresh dedication. In the Telugu lands the thread itself is called jandhyam, which gives the day its name, and the poet Palkuriki Somana refers to it as the "Nulu panduga" – the festival of the thread.
According to tradition, Lord Hayagriva appeared on this day: when the demons Madhu and Kaitabha stole the Vedas from Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu took the form of Hayagriva, recovered the Vedas and restored them to the world. He is worshipped as the Lord of knowledge and learning, and it is fitting that the renewal of Vedic study falls on his Jayanti.
How it is Celebrated in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- Rakhi: sisters perform aarti for their brothers, apply tilakam, tie the rakhi on their wrists and offer sweets; brothers bless their sisters and give them gifts, promising to stand by them always. Sisters who live far away send rakhis by post.
- Jandhyala Purnima: in the morning, men who wear the sacred thread gather – often at a temple, a river bank or a priest's home – for the Upakarma, where the old thread is removed and a new one put on with Vedic mantras. Many then perform Gayatri japa.
- Hayagriva Jayanti: Vishnu temples and Hayagriva shrines hold special worship, and students pray to Lord Hayagriva for knowledge and success in their studies.
Rituals and Puja
- Rakhi: a plate with the rakhi, kumkum, akshatalu, a lamp and sweets; aarti and tilakam for the brother before tying the rakhi.
- Upakarma: a holy bath, sankalpam, worship of the Rishis, the wearing of the new yajnopavitam and the beginning of Vedic recitation.
- Hayagriva puja: recitation of the Hayagriva Stotram, which begins "Jnanananda mayam devam…", and worship of the Lord with flowers and tulasi.
Foods and Offerings
- Sweets offered by sisters to their brothers and shared with the family.
- New sacred threads, flowers and fruits for the Upakarma, and dakshina to the priest who conducts it.
- Naivedyam for Lord Hayagriva, with tulasi and flowers.
Temples Known for this Festival
Raksha Bandhan is mainly celebrated in homes, and the Upakarma is performed at temples, river banks and in the homes of priests across the Telugu states. Hayagriva Jayanti is celebrated with special worship at Vishnu temples and Hayagriva shrines.
A few days before this full moon, married women in the Telugu states perform the Varalakshmi Vratam on the Friday before Shravana Pournami.
The Raksha Bandhan date is shown in the festival dates above. It falls on Shravana Pournami as per the Telugu panchang.