Seed rakhis bloom as festival goes DIY

BHOPAL: Handmade rakhis made at home ruled this Raksh Bandhan. As sisters were unable to purchase rakhis from shops, they let loose their creativity to ensure that no hurdle stops them from expressing their love for their brothers. From quiling rakhis, to beej and herbal rakhis, they got creative to make the best possible rakhi to make the day special.
Beej-rakhi, another environment-friendly type of rakhi, was also popular among women as they placed seeds in a small ball of clay and moulded it into different shapes and dried it.The rakhis can be sown in pots later to give rise to beautiful plants.
“I placed marigold and aprajita seeds into my brother’s rakhi. He will plant it at his home. It’ll give him something to remember me by and once the plants grow, the flowers will shower him with happiness throughout the year. I came to know of the beejrakhi concept last month and decided to make one this year,” said Supriya Kushwaha, a student.
Shibani Ghosh, founder of Parvarish- The museum school, hosted an online class for her students to help them tap into their creativity and learn new ideas to make rakhis at home. “We did a short online class for students to help them make rakhis from the materials available at home. Some used wool and beads, others used grains and pulses, while many others even used fresh flowers. It was a good session and made children happy,” she said.