Raksha Bandhan 2025: Should you tie Rakhi on August 8 or 9? Here’s correct date and auspicious time

TNR News Network
DHARAMSHALA:
As the sacred festival of Raksha Bandhan approaches, excitement is in the air — but so is confusion. Across India, families are asking the same question: Is Rakhi on August 8 or August 9 this year? With different calendars and astrologers suggesting different dates, many sisters are unsure when to tie the sacred thread.

To clarify the confusion, we spoke to astrology experts and Panchang scholars, who confirmed that Raksha Bandhan 2025 should be celebrated on August 9.

Why confusion over Rakhi date this year?

The uncertainty stems from the timing of the full moon (Purnima) tithi, which begins on August 8 at 2.12 pm and ends on August 9 at 1.24 pm. Since the tithi doesn’t start until later in the day on August 8, August 9 is considered the correct day to celebrate the festival — based on Hindu traditions that favor the sunrise tithi.

According to Pandit Om Prakash Sharma, “Rakhi should always be tied during the auspicious period and not during Bhadra Kaal or other inauspicious timings. This year, many calendars show August 8 because that’s when the full moon begins, but the festival should only be observed when the full moon is present during sunrise — which is August 9.”

Auspicious time for tying Rakhi

Experts have also outlined the Shubh Muhurat (auspicious time) for Rakhi on Friday (August 9, 2025) starts at 5.47 am and ends at 1.24 pm.

This is the window during which sisters can perform the traditional Rakhi rituals and tie the sacred thread on their brothers’ wrists, signifying love and a lifelong bond of protection.