Lord Ram sister Shanta Raksha Bandhan story reveals how she tied Rakhi to Ram, Bharat, Lakshman, and Shatrughna in Treta Yuga.
The auspicious festival of Raksha Bandhan, symbolizing the eternal bond between brother and sister, will be celebrated on August 9 this year it is rooted in love, trust, and the lifelong promise of protection, this day holds deep emotional and cultural significance for families across India but yet, only few knows about the ancient origins of the tradition involving Lord Ram’s elder sister, Shanta, who tied Rakhi to her four brothers in Treta Yuga, as per religious texts.
Shanta remains an underrated figure in the Ramayana and according to sacred scriptures and oral traditions, King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya had a daughter named Shanta, who was the elder sister of Ram, Bharat, Lakshman, and Shatrughna and despite her absence in many popular versions of the epic, religious scholars confirm her role and presence in ancient tales.
Mahant Shashikant Das, from the Ram Kachahari temple in Ayodhya, affirms the story of Shanta. He says Shanta was adopted by Kaushalya’s sister Varshini, who had no children of her own. Though born to Kaushalya, Shanta was raised by Varshini, a tradition that is preserved in lesser-known texts and passed down through oral history.
According to scriptures, Shanta tied Rakhi on the wrists of all four brothers during Raksha Bandhan in the Treta Yuga and this ancient observance reinforces the idea that the festival is rooted in deep historical and spiritual traditions, but it wasn’t merely symbolic but represented real sibling relationships even among divine avatars.
Even today, females across India send Rakhi by post to Lord Ram at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and a temple dedicated to Shanta also exists in Ayodhya, honoring her story and contribution and after the construction of the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Rakhi is now annually sent from Shanta’s temple to Lord Ram and his brothers as a continuation of this ancient tradition.
Shanta’s story always adds depth and emotional richness to the festival of Raksha Bandhan, it reminds devotees that this festival of protection and love has divine roots and while she might not be widely known, but her role in maintaining and celebrating the familial bond lives on through temple customs and sisterly devotion.
