Raksha Bandhan, also known as Rakhi, is a beautiful and heartfelt annual Hindu festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. It is traditionally observed in August and holds deep cultural and emotional significance - this year it falls on Friday 28 August. Raksha translates to protection and Bandhan translates to bond. During the ceremony, a sister ties a sacred thread known as a Rakhi on her brother's right wrist as a symbol of mutual love and protection. 

Raksha Bandhan starts from the first year of a siblings' birth and continues throughout their shared lives. From formative years to teens, siblings may live together and therefore may be in the same home to perform the ceremony. When a sibling moves away from the family home, whether to another city or country, the tradition of coming together continues, be in in person, through a call, or the posting of Rakhis to honour the sibling bond across any distance. 

At Sands, we understand that Raksha Bandhan can be particularly difficult for siblings who are unable to celebrate the festival in its traditional form, and for bereaved parents, the occasion can intensify grief as they reflect on the sibling bond their children should have shared and the love that continues beyond loss. 

We want you to know that we are here for you. While we know some families may have developed their own ways of celebrating Raksha Bandhan following the loss of a baby, we hope to create a space that may help to mark the occasion in a meaningful way, no matter how long ago you lost your baby or your sibling.