Rakhshabandhan goes green: Now you can plant your rakhis or eat them too!

The idea of eco-friendly Rakshabandhan is catching up big time in the twin cities. With the festival just around the corner, the demand for eco-friendly rakhis has shot up like never before. Thanks to
an increase in queries about eco-friendly rakhis, stores have come up with innovative styles, including plantable seed rakhis,

terracotta

rakhis and edible rakhis. Here’s a low down on the most sought after options in town.

Let your sibling bond grow with plantable rakhis

Of all the eco-friendly options available, the plantable seed rakhis are the most sought-after this year. This rakhi comes with indigenous seeds hidden inside it, which, when burried, can grow into a plant. The idea isn’t just to celebrate the sibling bond, but to let it grow forever, just like how a plant does. Gangadhar, of Dolphin Rakhis, who sells plantable seed rakhis in the city, says, “A lot of people are now adopting a sustainable lifestyle, which is non-hazardous to the environment. So, we introduced seed rakhis this year.” Given that this is the first time Gangadhar is selling these rakhis, he had a limited stock of just over 500 kits, which were sold out in a jiffy.

“The kit worth `300, contains kumkum, akshat as well as a plantable pencil and paper. The kits are available with vegetable as well as flower seeds and the threads are made with eco-friendly paper. We are now left with just a few pieces and have had to stop taking orders,” adds Gangadhar.

Terracotta Rakhis are trending right now
For those opting for a more colourful eco-friendly option, terracotta rakhis are very much on trend. These handmade rakhis use terracotta as its base, making them easily recyclable. In addition, they also have different coloured embellishments and threads to make them look colourful. Aditya from Vibha Ethnics, an eco-friendly store, says, “Terracotta rakhis are vibrant in colour with some

beads

. They also include some metal and the threads are made of

cotton

. We have made them in a way to ensure they are favourable to the environment.” Agreeing that plantable rakhis are also a rage, he adds, “We also make plantable seed rakhis using tulsi and marigold seeds. even the packaging is eco-friendly. We have been flooded with offers on our facebook page and many have reached out to us seeking rakhis which won’t be lying useless after the occasion is over,” adds Aditya.

Have your Rakhiand eat it too

Once Raksha Bandhan is over, most people don’t know what to do with their rakhis. And most of them end up in landfills. But what if you can eat your rakhi? Yes, edible rakhis are now a thing. Many bakeries in the city have come up with customised rakhi cupcakes and chocolates. Ubina Jivraj from Hyderabad Cupcakes says, “Our cakes and cupcakes come in various flavours and sizes and our chocolates are made of

Oreo

.”
Chetna Reddy, who bought edible rakhis for her brother this year, says, “I found it very interesting that after I tie my brother a rakhi he can eat it instead of keeping it somewhere only to lose it after some time. It also
offered something new and different from the routine of buying the same kind of rakhis every year.”
Pick luxe rakhis that are forever lovableIf you pick a collectible rakhi that is too precious to be thrown into the bin, you are doing the earth a great favour. Think kundan rakhis with semi precious stones, pearl, gold or silver rakhis that your brother can treasure for a long time.Sri Jagadamba Pearls offers pearl rakhis while online store qtrove.com has a neat collection of kundan rakhis. Designer Suhani Pittie’s store has a stunning collection of pure silver, gold and silver-plated rakhis with motifs of goddesses, that are sure to find a place in the puja room once the festival is over.

Tips for an eco-friendly Rakshabandhan
Know what goes into your rakhi; don’t blindly buy something just because it’s attractive. Synthetic materials like plastic pearls, embellishments, strings, etc., are non-biodegradable and therefore, harmful for the environment. Try DIY. Anything handmade is much more eco-friendly than something that’s mass produced. The same holds true for rakhis. Pick natural materials like cotton, wool, wooden beads etc and help your little one make a rakhi herself. For the past couple of years, bamboo rakhis from Kala Ashram in Adilabad has become a rage. Sunil Deshpande, who sends these rakhis to Telangana every year, says, “These rakhis called ‘Shrushti Bandh’ are made of bamboo sourced from villages in Maharashtra. This year I have sent 200 bamboo rakhis to Telangana and the response has been great.”