Finchely Pratap and Shakti Shakha Celebrate Raksha Bandhan 2025 in a Truly Heartwarming Way

This year’s Raksha Bandhan (Festival of Protection) was no ordinary one for the children and family of Finchely’s Pratap Shakha and Shakti Shakha. Instead of celebrating within the mandir (temple) or at home, they decided to take the spirit of seva (selfless service) beyond the walls of tradition — by tying colourful rakhis (sacred threads) on the wrists of our community’s real-life protectors: the Finchely Firefighters.

As the children arrived at the Finchely Fire Station, excitement filled in the air. Tiny hands tied bright rakhis (threads of love and protection), applied tilak (red mark on the forhead symbolising respect and blessing), and offered mithaai (sweets) as tokens of gratitude. It was a beautiful fusion of sanskriti (culture) and samarpan (devotion).

One of the sevikas (female volunteers) read a heartfelt kavita (poem) she had written for the occasion, her words touching the hearts of everyone — espicially the firefighters. Many admitted that they had never felt so appreciated.

But the magic didn’t stop there. The firefighters opened their world to the children — showing them around the fire trucks, explaining their equipment, and even letting the kids try some of it out! The joy was infectious.

Aarav, one of the children said:

“I liked tying a rakhi on the firefighter because he protects everyone, just like a big brother.”

Eesha, his friend, added:

“The fire truck was so huge! I felt ike a real firefighter when they showed us the hose!”

Through laughter, learning, and love, Raksha Bandhan became more than a tradition that day — it became an anubhav (experience) of connection and gratitude.

As families left the station, smiles lingered and hearts were full. The children learnt about courage, the aduts rediscovered the joy of giving, and the firefighters carried away rakhis ties with shraddha (faith) and prem (love).

This wasn’t just a celebration — it was a yatra (journey) of togetherness, a moment where dharma (duty) met seva (service).

Truly, a Raksha Bandhan that will be remembered for years to come.