What is the Hindu Kalawa that Justin Trudeau has been wearing?

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been spotted several times this summer and fall wearing what a Toronto-based priest says is a sacred Hindu thread of protection. Worn on the wrist, it is also known as a “Kalawa.”

The sacred thread can go by different names, including Kalawa and Raksha Sutra. The name varies with the parts of India where it originates and the local cultural traditions, says Hindu priest Acharya Guruji.

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In a call to the National Post by the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday, Mohammed Hussain, lead press secretary, said Trudeau received sacred threads “from several Hindu temples while he was on the road.”

What is a Kalawa, the sacred thread around Trudeau’s wrist?

The primary reason for tying a Kalawa on someone’s wrist is to provide protection, says Guruji. This power comes from the mantra the priest says during the tying of the Kalawa, he adds. The mantra gives the thread its sacred power that passes to the wearer.

It can come in different colours, including red, yellow and orange and is tied around the wrist three times.

The colour red is symbolic of stopping, says Guruji. It is a mandate to “stop, think and act.” To illustrate, he speaks about driving. You would stop speeding, think about the consequences of speeding, and act by slowing down. In doing so, the wearer receives the protection of the thread, he says.

Photos of Trudeau wearing the red thread around his wrist date back to early July, at least. He was seen wearing the thread at political events over the summer and fall in Sault St. Marie, Montreal and Alberta. He also wore it at public appearances, such as a visit to the Canadian set for the Handmaid’s Tale TV series in Toronto and his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

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It can also be seen in photos from Oct. 23, when the PM met with his caucus, with some members intent on his ouster.

What is the Kalawa or Raksha Sutra?

There is a slight difference between a Kalawa and Raksha Sutra, explains Guruji. A Kalawa is generally connected with religious rituals and might be tied on a person’s wrist by a priest during a visit to a Hindu temple, says Guruji. This is how the prime minister likely received his, as per the PMO statement to the Post.

The tying of a Raksha Sutra comes during Raksha Bandhan, an annual Hindu festival observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Shravana, which typically falls in August. The name, Raksha Sutra, comes from Sanskrit, says Guruji, and refers to “protection” and “thread.”

Specifically, it is tied by sisters on the wrists of their brothers during the festival. The act of tying the thread symbolizes love, a bond with the brothers. In turn, the brothers promise to protect their sisters. 

What is the broader cultural significance of the thread?

This belief in the sacred thread’s protective power has its source in a Hindu story about Lord Krishna. He is one of the most powerful incarnations of Vishnu, the Godhead of the Hindu Trinity of deities. It is believed that one time when Lord Krishna accidentally slit his wrist, Draupadi immediately tore off a part of her cloth to stop the bleeding. Draupadi is the main female protagonist of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. She was renowned for her beauty and courage. Touched by her gesture, Lord Krishna assured Draupadi that he will forever protect her and that she will never be short of clothes.

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Among families, if the Kalawa is tied during a family ritual, it becomes a symbol of unity and togetherness, according to the Times of India.

Having a Kalawa tied on your wrist “is totally voluntary,” says Guruji. “And it’s gender-neutral.”

More broadly, the Kalawa is a reminder of the wearer’s faith. Hindu priests tie the threads on the wrists of men and women during ritual ceremonies, says Guruji. Generally, it goes on the right wrist of a man and the left wrist of a woman, but that is “not a hard and fast rule,” he says. Instead, it might be placed on the wrist of the person’s dominant hand.

It is seen as a blessing, representing “timeless faith — a belief in the protective power of the divine that continues to be cherished in Hindu rituals,” writes Akansha Agarwal for onindianpath.com. 

The effectiveness of the thread’s protection is said to wane after 21 days. That’s when the colour begins to fade. After that period, it is recommended that the wearer put it somewhere safe because it has taken on the energies of that person.

“When it is broken, don’t throw it away,” says Guruji. “Put it into the ground.” This act symbolizes a return of sacred elements to nature.

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A second thread?

Trudeau has been seen more recently to be wearing another thread.

It seems to have appeared on his wrist around the time of the ASEAN conference in early October and is seen again when he testified before the Foreign Interference Commission.

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