Rakhi & Thali August 5, 2009  Save as Bookmark  Send this Page to Friend. Raksha Bandhan Home   Raksha Bandhan Wallpapers   Rakhi & Thali Decoration   Raksha Bandhan Greetings   Raksha Bandhan Origin   Raksha Bandhan Recipes   Raksha Bandhan Traditions   Rituals & Sentiments   Scriptural Origin   The Legend   How to make a Rakhi Rakhi is generally a decorated silk thread. It may be a simple thread or it may be decorated with beads or designer motifs, religious symbols or even studded with jewels. Here are a few tip on how you can create your own rakhi. Material required 1. Silk threads-multi-coloured 2. Cotton thread 3. Beads, sequins 4. Scissors 5. Glue     Take a bunch of silk threads, multicolored if you want a colorful rakhi. Red and yellow are considered auspicious colors. You can also use a strand or two of golden thread. The threads should be around 30" long. Fold the length of the thread bunch to half. Tie a tight knot at one fourth of the length using the cotton thread. Cut the loops of the folded thread and fluff the open ends with a hard brush. Divide the longer part of the thread into two halves and plat them in desired way. Tie the ends with the cotton thread and fluff the open ends. These two strands will be used for the tying. Decorate the upper part with sequins, beads or religious motifs. If you are using multicolored threads arranged in some specific way, cut them short to a suitable length not more than �".     Rakhi Thali Decoration Traditionally the Rakhi thali is the same as the thali for the pooja of the deities.     The Rakhi Thali contains a diya, roli or tika, rice, sandalwood, incense sticks. In the Raksha bandhan thali, the rakhis are kept along with the moli. Brass or silver or silver plated rakhi thali are considered most auspicious. One of the essentials is drawing a Swastika in the middle of the rakhi thali, the symbol of Lord Ganesha. Roli, rice and water are put in three tiny containers along with diya and an insence stick stand. Rakhi and flowers can be places in the thali itself and sweets can accompany in a separate plate. Beatle leaves can be used as a replacement of the containers. Beatle leaves are considered auspicious. Banana leaf also can be used on an ordinary thali to give it a festive look. The Rakhi thali can be decorated with a yellow or red cotton bandhani cloth and gota ( Golden lace) or moli. Proper care should be taken that diya and the burning encense sticks don't come in direct contact with the cloth. A sacred aura can be created by arranging the things on a jute mat and asans.