Feasting, merry-making and exchange of gifts marked the the day as women, dressed in their fineries, tied 'rakhis' on their brothers' wrists praying for their well being, while brothers, in turn, vowed to protect them.
Markets were abuzz as shops selling colourful rakhis (sacred threads) of different shapes were thronged by hundreds. Sweet shops were doing brisk business as women bought sweets in large numbers.
Women from all walks of life and schoolchildren tied rakhis on the wrist of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Race Course Road residence here.
The Prime Minister greeted the people of the country on "the auspicious festival of Raksha Bandhan". Several other leaders also greeted the people on the occasion.
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In the national capital, heavy rains failed to dampen the festive spirit.
Amritpal Kaur of Jalandhar in Punjab celebrated the festival by tying a rakhi on the plaque built in the memory of her brother, Kamaljeet Singh, who got martyrdom on December 4, 1971 while fighting the Pakistani forces.
Raksha Bandhan was also celebrated in Ambala Central jail in Haryana where scores of women tied rakhis on the wrists of their brothers, lodged in the prison. The jail authorities had made special arrangements for the occasion.
"We also provided rakhis and sweets to some of the women inmates so that they could participate in the joyous occasion by tying rakhi on their visiting brothers," said an official of the jail which houses 1,200 male and 80 female inmates.