Aamir Khan is probably the most sought-after man this Raksha Bandhan, and for a much more delightful reason than his whacko jiggling act in Delhi Belly.
For every sister whose brother is a diehard fan of the actor, the markets are flooded with Aamir Khan rakhis – Nikumbh Sir and the buck-toothed Ishaan Awasthi from Taare Zameen Par resting on their arms side-by-side with a reflective look plastered on their faces; and a 3 Idiots- inspired rakhi with Aamir, Madhavan and Sharman Joshi grinning ear-to-ear with a cute message on the band of the rakhi -- Brother tussi great ho, rakhi kabool kijiye.
Years ago, when the television and cinema were still in the nascent stages of becoming influential media, raksha bandhan meant buying red-coloured threads, with a golden bead tied at the centre, that cost two rupees at the most.
Brothers flaunted on their wrists proudly a rakhi chosen by sisters within the limited choice offered by the local store.
But today, the sentiment behind the rakhi may be cherished, but the pop icon that the rakhi features carries a lot of importance too.
From mythological heroes like Bal Ganesh and Hanuman to soap opera stars like Anandi (of Balika Vadhu fame), rakhis are available in every form, colour and pattern.
Says eight-year-old Mridul Mahajan gleefully, “I have already told my sister to get me a Shin Chan rakhi. I had a discussion with my friends in school and we all decided who will be which cartoon character.”
Browsing through the assortment of rakhis attractively displayed in shops, I came across pot-bellied Zoo Zoos and Superman with six-pack-abs. For the more religious followers of raksha bandhan. there are rakhis with pictures of Sai Baba and goddess Durga.
Just when we are convinced that rakhis couldn't get more innovative, the shopkeeper enlightens us. “We also sell rakhis with light and music,” he says displaying a croaking frog for us. As we wonder about the prices he adds, “This is China maal. So they don’t cost more than 20-25 rupees.”
If light and music rakhis aren't your thing, we also spotted a cute rakhi with a baby bum that wriggles at the click of a button. “Yeh mehenga hai. This costs about Rs55,” says the shopkeeper.
For adults who are embarrassed about sporting Noddys and Popeyes, there are rakhis made of stones and beads, minus the thread, almost giving it the chic look of a bracelet.
Says Mahesh Chowdhary, a rakhi vendor in Kandivali, “Adults still prefer older designs with those feathery puffs of different colours on top of the silk thread.”
Dr Suraina Malhotra of Orion International that specialises in manufacturing rakhis, says, “Today, fancy items sell like hot buns. Even the corporate sector has started placing demands for colourfully packaged, customized rakhis as a part of brand promotion.”
She recalls this instance when a radio channel approached her for making rakhis with their show names etched out on the bands. She continues, “We also had this NGO coming to us for rakhis with global warming messages written across them.”
Rakhis have gone from being a statement of love from sisters to style and sometimes status statements. With the latest rakhis in the market, one can safely say that rakhis are also a representative of pop culture in the city.
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