Markets flooded with designer rakhis

PATNA: Sisters around the city are buying rakhis and also sending to their brothers by post or courier. Shopkeepers are upbeat with hoards of women turning up to buy rakhis with only a few days left for the festival.Devesh Aggarwal, a shopkeeper at Boring Road crossing, said he started selling rakhis two months in advance so that people could have sufficient time to post or courier them. “Many people now live out of the state, so their sisters start buying rakhi much in advance,” he said.Aggarwal’s shop had rakhis ranging from Rs10 to 1500. “People mostly prefer simpler rakhis with light stone work and made of silk thread. Although we keep rakhis studded with zircon crystals and kundan that cost around Rs1500 a piece. We also have rakhis of artificial peacock feathers, but there are quite a few buyers for that,” he said. For children, the shop is selling cartoon rakhis of Doraemon and Angry birds, while rakhis with light affixtures are also in high demand by children. A handmade craft store near the planetarium has a variety of rakhis ranging between Rs10 and 100. Vikas Kumar, who was manning the store, said around 10 customers turn up every day for hand-crafted rakhis. “Zari, pearl work, meenakari, stone work, hand-embroidered are some of the designs in which these rakhis and lumbas are available. Paper quill rakhis are well received by the people. Children like rakhis with teddy bears and cartoons patterns such as Spiderman,” he said.Some are opting for online stores to deliver rakhis to their brothers. Kriti of Jakkanpur has mailed altogether seven rakhis to her cousins in different parts of India. “As I am elder to all my brothers, I usually add a small present with the rakhi,” she said.