Eco-friendly, customised rakhis take over city markets

With Rakshabandhan knocking on the door, shopping and other preparations have already begun in the city. Various stalls, selling trendy yet traditional rakhis, have cropped up, lending a festive look to the city markets. This year, more people are eyeing fine handmade and eco-friendly rakhis. They are also opting for customised rakhis from various city-based artistes and shopping portals. Patna Times spoke to a few shopkeepers to know more about the trend...

Eco-friendly rakhis
Young Patnaites are looking forward to celebrating the festival in an eco-friendly way. People are looking for seed rakhis, rudraksh rakhis and rakhis made of various fabrics that decompose easily. Shiv Mohan, a rakhi stall owner on Boring Road, said, “People are asking for those rakhis which can decompose easily. While rudrakash rakhis can be preserved for long, fabric rakhis decompose easily. Keeping rudrakash at home is anyway considered auspicious. Besides, some of the rakhis made of

papaya

and basil seeds are also selling well. After the festival is over, people can also plant these seeds in their garden.”

Get it customised
Many Patnaties want to get their rakhis made according to their choice. They can either get it done from various online shopping portals or from local artistes. Shipra Singh, a college student who got a rakhi customised for her brother, said, “My brother likes simple rakhis with a traditional touch. Though various kinds of rakhis are available in the market, I still wanted to get it made by a rakhi artist. It lends a personal touch.”

Pummy Agrawal who got a silver rakhi customised from a jewellery store, said, “This year, I wanted to tie a silver rakhi, which my brother can treasure for a long time. When I visited the jewellery stores, I found ample designs in silver and gold. They offered me a design book, from which customers can choose their favourite pick and get it made. I chose a traditional design for my brother. I hope he likes it.”

Lumba Rakhi
Also known as bhabhi rakhi, you can tie this beautiful string of love on a bangle or on your sister-in-law’s wrist. Though this is primarily a Marwari custom, now people of other communities also love to celebrate it with equal enthusiasm. Anjali Sharma, an engineer, said, “This supposedly strengthens the special bond between you and your bhabhi. In the last couple of years, the sales of lumba rakhis have increased a lot in Patna, and almost all the stall keepers have introduced their latest collections.”

Galore variety
From doll rakhi, soft toy, stone, pearl rakhi to

Superman

,

Chhota Bheem

and other cartoon rakhis are leaving Patnities spoilt for choice. Suresh Tiwari, a shopkeeper from Chudi Market, said, “This year, we have come up with many new varieties to meet the standards of online shopping portals. Last year, people went online to buy rakhis and so the business was not good. However, this time, we have displayed several quirky designs to lure customers. This has worked well for us, and we are doing a brisk business. The prices of these rakhis range between `15 and `450, which is much lower than what you get online.”
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