The UK’s new prime minister Rishi Sunak has made historical past after changing into the primary particular person of color to tackle the highest job.
He has been outspoken about his Indian heritage and is “proud of his faith” as a Hindu. During his assembly with King Charles III on Tuesday (25 October), throughout which the monarch formally appointed him the brand new prime minister, many viewers noticed a purple bracelet on his proper wrist.
The purple bracelet additionally featured prominently in {a photograph} of Sunak waving outdoors Downing Street as he was congratulated for his new position.
According to Guardian journalist Aina Khan, the string bracelet is “traditionally worn by Hindus for protection”.
Dr Edward Anderson, assistant professor in historical past at Northumbria University who specialises in historical past and politics of India and Britain, additionally tweeted: “The red ‘bracelet’ is probably a kautuka, which is a part of Hindu culture.”
A kautuka often contains of woven thread, wire or ribbon and is historically believed to have protecting properties for the wearer.
It is often tied on by a priest or oldest member of the family throughout a Hindu rite-of-passage or yajna ritual. It is worn on the appropriate wrist for males and the left wrist for girls.
The purple thread additionally options in different household and marital ceremonies in Hindu tradition. For instance, it’s tied to each the bride and groom in a Hindu wedding ceremony to symbolise the bond between husband and spouse.
Sunak can also be identified for sporting different bracelets round his wrist, together with a appeal bracelet with the letters “DADA” that he donned throughout debates final 12 months when he was vying for the Conservative Party management.
According to stories, this was an adjunct made for him by his daughters Krishna and Anoushka.
Another kind of bracelet may very well be a rakhi, based on Dr Anderson, which is tied onto brothers by their sisters throughout the Raksha Bandhan pageant.
The pageant celebrates brotherhood and love, and the rakhi, which manufactured from interwoven purple and gold threads, symbolises the siblings’ relationships.
Sunak is the eldest of three siblings. He has a brother, Sanjay, who works as a psychologist, whereas his sister Raakhi serves as chief of technique and planning at Education Cannot Wait, a worldwide fund for training by the United Nations.
Source: www.impartial.co.uk