With each passing year, the market gets to see new varieties, types and sizes of rakhi, not to forget new prices.
With trends changing in practically everything around us, why should the traditional festival of Rakshabandhan be left behind! With each passing year, the market gets to see new varieties, types and sizes of rakhi, not to forget new prices.
This year, rakhis for children are available in the form of their favourite cartoon characters. According to Amit Patel, "The cartoon series has been going on for the last couple of years. They range from Bal Ganesh to Ben 10 to Tom & Jerry and Winnie the Pooh in the range of Rs10-100."
Patel added, "Then come rakhis with Kolkata designs which are not long-lasting but are very popular, especially among Marwadis and Rajasthanis, owing to the variety in designs and shapes. Such rakhis are in the range of Rs10-200. The long-lasting rakhis with zardosi, beads and silk threads are in the range of Rs5-500."
Patel owns a seasonal rakhi shop at Mansi crossroads and a rakhi market next to Keshavbaug. Other types of rakhis available at this store are bracelet rakhis in the range of Rs20-80 and gota rakhi in the range of Rs12-36 per dozen. They also have gold and silver plated rakhis. Patel said, "Our silver plated rakhis also have sandalwood beads in between. As for gold plated rakhis, they come in a box with a tray, rakhi and small plastic boxes of kumkum-choka. While the silver plated rakhis range from Rs50-200, the gold plated rakhi is priced at Rs300."
Lumba, a type of rakhi tied by nanand to bhabhi in traditional Marwadi and Rajasthani families, is gaining popularity among Gujarati women. Nearly 70% rise is observed in sales of lumba since two years. These are in the range of Rs10-800. Besides such traditional rakhis, there is a growing interest in hand-crafted rakhis. Divya Agarwal along with a friend designs hand-crafted rakhis. "Traditional never goes out of fashion but people are always looking for something new and this is where we come in. Our rakhis are made of m-seal, paper craft, beads, mother of pearl and crystals. These range from Rs100-650. They come in different shapes and sizes," she said.
For those who don't mind spending more, jeweller Rajnikant Choksi has something to offer. "Rakhis with names of brothers or alphabetical symbols made of gold and silver are very much in demand. The price starts at Rs500. Also in demand are the evergreen single diamond rakhis, which starts at Rs400. On such occasions people don't think of money, taking it to be a form of investment," he said.
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