09 August - Raksha Bandhan 2025

 

Raksha Bandhan is a traditional Hindu festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters.
On this day, a sister ties a rakhi (decorative thread) around her brother’s wrist, praying for his long life and happiness. In return, the brother gives her gifts and pledges to protect her. The festival is rooted in love, trust, and the promise of mutual care — though nowadays it’s also celebrated among cousins, close friends, and even across communities as a symbol of harmony.

 It is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) of the Shravana month in the Hindu lunar calendar.

Raksha Bandhan in 2025

• Date: Saturday, 09 August 2025

• Best time to tie Rakhi: 5:47 AM – 1:24 PM (after Bhadra Kaal ends)

• Purnima Tithi: Begins on 8 August afternoon, ends 9 August at 1:24 PM

This year is considered astrologically special because of a rare combination of Saubhagya Yoga, Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga, and Shravana Nakshatra, believed to bring extra blessings.

 Raksha Bandhan Legends

Raksha Bandhan’s charm lies not only in its rituals but also in the timeless stories that celebrate love and protection:

• Krishna & Draupadi – Draupadi tied a cloth to Krishna’s bleeding finger; he vowed to protect her, later saving her honor in the Kaurava court.

• Queen Karnavati & Humayun – The queen of Chittor sent a rakhi to Mughal Emperor Humayun, who honored it by coming to her aid against an enemy attack.

• Yama & Yamuna – The river goddess tied a rakhi to her brother, the god of death, earning his promise of protection and blessings of long life.

• Roxana & Porus – Alexander’s wife sent a rakhi to King Porus, who spared Alexander’s life in battle out of respect for the sacred bond.

These legends remind us that Raksha Bandhan is more than a festival — it is a pledge of love, trust, and protection that transcends time, blood relations, and even boundaries.

09 August - Singapore was expelled from Malaysia

 

On 09 August 1965, Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became the only country to date to gain independence unwillingly. Malaysia had been formed on September 16, 1963, as a new political entity from the merger of the Federation of Malaya with the former British colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. This marked the end of a 144-year period of British rule in Singapore, beginning with the founding of modern Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Singapore was one of the 14 states of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965.

The union, however, was unstable due to distrust and ideological differences between leaders of the State of Singapore and the federal government of Malaysia. Such issues resulted in frequent disagreements relating to economics, finance and politics. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which was the political party in power in the federal government, saw the participation of the Singapore-based People’s Action Party (PAP) in the Malaysian general election of 1964 as a threat to its Malay-based political system. There were also major racial riots that year involving the majority Chinese community and the Malay community in Singapore. During a 1965 Singaporean by-election, UMNO threw its support behind the opposition Barisan Sosialis candidate. In 1965, Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman decided upon the expulsion of Singapore from the Federation, leading to the independence of Singapore on 09 August 1965.