Why Is Raksha Bandhan Celebrated as Tree Safety Day in Bihar?

In a State of Bihar it is custom to mark Raksha Bandhan as the Tree Safety Day (Vriksh Raksha Divas). Even though Raksha Bandhan is celebrated to mark the relationship between brothers and sisters, this tradition has given an additional significance to this festival. As a symbolic gesture of promising to protect the trees, people tie rakhis around the trees. It helps the people relate the tradition of protecting their loved ones with protecting the trees as a part of the healthy environment. Thus, through this practice, people get inspired to be conscious about the conservation of the trees and making the greener future.

Why Is Raksha Bandhan Celebrated as Tree Safety Day in Bihar?

This concept is based on the similarity between the Raksha Bandhan tradition and the concept of environmentalism.

People tie a rakhi around the tree and promise to protect it. Thus, the tree gets the status of one more member of the community who needs care and protection.

This ritual is aimed at preventing people from unnecessary tree cutting and harming and raising their awareness about the ecological significance of trees.

What Is Vriksh Raksha Divas?

The meaning of Vriksh Raksha Divas is literally “Tree Protection Day”. This festival is based on the idea of protecting not only our loved ones but also trees and the environment as well.

This initiative raises awareness about the necessity of planting saplings, conserving trees and creating greener environment.

What Is the Connection between the Tradition and Raksha Bandhan?

In the case of the tradition, the rakhi symbolizes love, care, and responsibility for each other among siblings. In the case of the environmental tradition, this idea gets extended to the environment.

Through putting a rakhi on a tree, individuals make a pledge to protect the tree. This turns the celebration of a tradition into a call for environmental protection.