Come the season of monsoon brothers and sisters eagerly await Raksha Bandhan , a festival which celebrates and reinforces the special bond they share. The simple thread signifies much more than its mere appearance. History is replete with instances when this sacred bonding egged commoners and emperors alike to rush to help their sisters in distress.
The preparation for the occasion, which this time falls on this Sunday, has started much in advance going by the rush in the market. To cope with the deluge of customers, a number of shops across the city have put up makeshift stalls to display the varieties of rakhi to cater to different tastes, age groups and pockets. Keeping with the times, there are designer rakhis too.
Those with tiny-tot brothers prefer to buy the cartoon rakhis. Bunty, a shopkeeper at South Extension market, says, “Rakhis with cartoon characters like Chotta Bheem, Doraemon and Ben 10 are in great demand.” Thin, stone studded and other designer rakhis with rudraksha, pearls, priced between Rs.50 and 300, are also very popular, he says.
Then there are special thalis which include besides the rakhi rice and tikka – elements of the ritual. “Sisters whose brother(s) stay in far away places in the city or are residing outside it buy this to make up for their absence during the festival,” says Ravi, who runs an outlet at INA Market. Priced in the range of Rs.200 to 500, these can be easily packed and sent through courier.
Those who are eager to include sweets in the thalis — without which any happy occasion cannot be celebrated, chocolates are included in the thalis, he adds. Dry fruits too are provided as an alternative for the chocolates. The goodies can be wrapped in coloured, transparent cellophane paper and decorated with ribbons, artificial beads and flowers to make them look attractive. Of course, all these inclusions increase the price tag, from Rs.500 to 5000.
