Raksha Bandhan 2026: Villages Where Rakhi Remains a Taboo

August 25, 2026 Incredible India Valli Sarvani

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated across India as a cherished bond between brothers and sisters.

This year, Raksha Bandhan falls on Friday, August 28, 2026. However, some villages in Uttar Pradesh follow unusual traditions and beliefs surrounding the festival.

In Satha Chaurasi, a cluster of nearly 60 villages in Hapur district, Raksha Bandhan has been observed differently for around 450 years.

Women do not traditionally tie rakhis on their brothers’ wrists. Instead, they tie them to wooden sticks.

Locals connect the custom to the Battle of Haldighati in 1576. According to the community’s belief, the men were away fighting and could not be present for Raksha Bandhan.

Women therefore tied rakhis to wooden sticks as symbolic substitutes. The practice continues today as part of ‘Chhadi Puja’, which is also marked by a local fair.

Another unusual Raksha Bandhan tradition exists in Surana village of Meerut. Here, women avoid celebrating the festival because of an old belief surrounding a curse.

According to local accounts, Muhammad Ghori attacked the village on Raksha Bandhan in the late 12th century.

Most residents were reportedly killed, while one woman and her two sons survived because they were away. Later, villagers associated misfortunes with attempts to revive the festival.

In Bainipur Chak village of Sambhal, Raksha Bandhan has reportedly remained unobserved for nearly 300 years. Residents believe sisters asking for property as a Rakhi gift could lead to families losing their land.

Locals trace the belief to a zamindar whose sons accepted rakhis from girls outside their community. One girl reportedly asked for the family’s zamindari. The family eventually handed it over, reinforcing the belief.

Some villages in Gunnaur also avoid Raksha Bandhan. Residents link the decision to deaths and accidents that allegedly occurred after the festival was observed.

Similar beliefs exist in Bhikhampur Jagat Purwa in Gonda. Villagers say misfortune followed attempts to celebrate Raksha Bandhan.

These traditions reflect how local history, folklore and community beliefs have shaped Raksha Bandhan practices across generations.

While most Indians will mark the festival on August 28, these villages will follow customs rooted in their own past.

Image Credit: Suyash Dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons