Armed Forces Celebrate Brotherhood In Hindu Festival

Armed Forces personnel have once again been celebrating the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan.

The celebration was organised by the Armed Forces Hindu Network, and the festivities were held across the nation.

The celebration, nicknamed Rakhi, is an ancient Hindu festival designed to celebrate brotherhood and love.

Rakhi has a special significance for Hindu members of the Armed Forces and is seen as symbolic of the duty that they have towards protecting their nation.

At an event held at the MoD in London, Armed Forces Personnel celebrated the festival by tying a ‘Rakhi’ to their wrist- the Rakhi bracelet symbolises protection and is an important part of the celebration.

Defence Minister Earl Howe said of the occasion:

"As we exchange our multi-coloured bands, it’s a unique opportunity to remind ourselves of the multifaceted ties that bind our great Hindu community and our Armed Forces together."

The Hindu community has always played an important part in the British armed forces; in WW1 1,750,000 Hindus deployed overseas, whilst over 1.25 million Hindus played a pivotal role in the Second World War.