Philanthropist, author, and Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty recently found herself at the center of controversy after sharing a video on Raksha Bandhan that sparked debate on social media. In the video, Murty narrated a story about Rani Karnavati and Mughal Emperor Humayun, which she presented as the origin of the Raksha Bandhan tradition. However, many users on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) challenged the accuracy of her account, leading to significant backlash.
Sudha Murty’s Raksha Bandhan post
In her post celebrating Raksha Bandhan, Sudha Murty shared a story she learned during her childhood. In a video message she said that the tradition of Rakhi began when Rani Karnavati of Mewar, facing an attack, sent a thread to Emperor Humayun, asking for his protection as a symbolic gesture of siblinghood.
“Raksha Bandhan has a rich history. When Rani Karnavati was in danger, she sent a thread to King Humayun as a symbol of siblinghood, asking for his help. This is where the tradition of the thread began, and it continues to this day,” Sudha Murty captioned the post.
In the video, Murty said, “It goes back to when Rani Karnavati (from the Kingdom of Mewar) was in danger after her kingdom, which was small, came under attack. She did not know what to do. She sent a small piece of thread to Mughal Emperor Humayun and said I’m in danger. Please consider me as your sister. Please come and protect me.”
“Humayun did not know what it was…he asked what is this and the locals said this is a call of a sister to a brother…this is the custom of the land,” Murty said, adding, “The emperor said okay if this is the case then I will help Rani Karnavati. He left Delhi but couldn’t reach there on time and Karnavati died.”
“This idea is when you’re facing a threat or in distress. A thread indicates that somebody should come and help me and it means a lot,” she concluded.
Raksha Bandhan has a rich history. When Rani Karnavati was in danger, she sent a thread to King Humayun as a symbol of sibling-hood, asking for his help. This is where the tradition of the thread began and it continues to this day. pic.twitter.com/p98lwCZ6Pp
— Smt. Sudha Murty (@SmtSudhaMurty) August 19, 2024
This video, which garnered over two million views and thousands of likes, was meant to highlight the protective symbolism behind Raksha Bandhan. However, Murty’s portrayal of the festival’s origins prompted criticism from many social media users, who argued that the tradition dates back much further, citing the story of Draupadi and Lord Krishna from the Mahabharata as the true origin.
Sudha Murty issues clarification on Raksha Bandhan post
Following the widespread criticism, Sudha Murty took to X to clarify her remarks, emphasising that the story she shared was just one of many associated with Raksha Bandhan and not the definitive origin of the festival. She explained that her intention was to share a tale she learned growing up, which illustrates the symbolic meaning of Raksha Bandhan.
Murty wrote, “The story I shared on Raksha Bandhan is just one of many tales associated with the festival and certainly not its origin. As I have said in the video clip, this was already a custom of the land. My intention was to highlight one of the many stories I learnt about when growing up, about the beautiful symbolism behind Raksha Bandhan. Raksha Bandhan is a much older tradition that has transcended time and culture of our beloved country, one that I am proud of and look forward to with affection for my own siblings.”
The story I shared on Raksha Bandhan is just one of many tales associated with the festival and certainly not its origin. As I have said in the video clip, this was already a custom of the land. My intention was to highlight one of the many stories I learnt about when growing up,…
— Smt. Sudha Murty (@SmtSudhaMurty) August 19, 2024
How did the internet react to Sudha Murty’s response?
Despite her clarification, many users urged Murty to delete the video and the original post to prevent the spread of what they perceived as misinformation. One user commented, “Ma’am, in that case, you should delete that video and the tweet along with it, as both the video and the tweet clearly says that the tradition of Rakhi ‘started’ with this fake story of Durgavati and Humayun.”
Another user echoed this sentiment, stating, “Explain this. Take 70 hours if you need to, but do explain this. You literally said that the tradition of thread began with the Rani Karnavati and Humayun incident.”
Sudha Murty, known for her philanthropy and contributions to education and literature, is a respected figure in India. She is the wife of Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy and has been honoured with the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
First Published: Aug 20 2024 | 4:21 PM IST
