On August 9, Navdanya women farmers in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal marked Raksha Bandhan in their traditional way of tying rakhis—decorative threads or wristbands symbolizing love and protection—around trees.

Raksha Bandhan is a traditional Hindu festival in India that celebrates the bond of love, protection, and mutual respect between brothers and sisters. On this day, sisters tie rakhis—decorative threads or wristbands symbolizing love and protection—around their brothers’ wrists, and brothers vow to honor and protect their sisters in return. On August 9, Navdanya women farmers in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal gave this tradition new meaning by tying rakhis around trees instead of wrists. Known as Raksha Sutra, this act transforms the festival into a pledge of ecological guardianship. By tying rakhis to trees, women farmers declare their enduring bond with nature and commit to safeguarding forests and biodiversity, affirming that when we protect nature, nature protects us. This August, more than 200 women joined the ritual across four states, with schoolchildren participating as well, extending the circle of ecological guardianship to future generations. For Navdanya, Raksha Bandhan is no longer only about family bonds—it is about the sacred relationship between people and the Earth. Each thread tied becomes both a symbol of gratitude and a promise to defend Earth’s Democracy and living systems that sustain us all.