Raksha Bandhan 2021: Know all about plantable Rakhis and why they are every environment enthusiast's pick

The bond between a brother is sister is like no other. They might steal your clothes or food but they also have your back the most. To celebrate the beautiful relationship between siblings, we celebrate Raksha Bandhan every year. This pious festival falls on Sunday, August 22 this year.

On Raksha Bandhan, sisters dress up in new clothes to tie Rakhi to their brothers who in return shower them with gifts. They spend the day together and feast on delicacies. Rakhi is a strand of thread that signifies you protecting your brother, hence the festival is called Raksha Bandhan. Over the years, the simple red thread has evolved into modern rakhis with a dash of bling and some even have funky things like cartoons and figurines on them. 

These Rakhis eventually end up in a dump and contribute to the ever-growing pollution. Like there’s a problem to every solution, in the past few years, a few people have come up with the initiative of plantable Rakhis. 

Now, you must be wondering what is a plantable rakhi? Just like your normal Rakhi, they are also supposed to be tied, and when you’re done with it, you can plant it in the ground, and wait for it to blossom into a beautiful plant. 

We spoke to Divyanshu Asopa of 21Fools who shared that he came up with the idea of plantable rakhis as Raksha Bandhan had become just symbolic and a mere act of sending or tying Rakhi to your brothers, only to be thrown a few hours away.

“Also, the Rakhis used in the last two decades have become more synthetic. The threads & materials used to make Rakhis look fancy are non-biodegradable and end up being thrown in the garbage which we feel is a disrespect to the core idea of the festival. Since the very beginning of Rakshabandhan, cotton and silk threads have been used and it's time we go back to our roots once again, ditch the metallic, synthetic Rakhis and use Rakhis that are made from eco-friendly material,” he told DNAIndia.com.

So how does a plantable rakhi work? You soak it in water, place it on the soil, sprinkle soil on top, and water daily until the seeds in Rakhi germinate while the cotton thread decomposes itself into the soil.

“The response is ever-growing. People have become more and more aware about such products that are beautiful but sustainable,” Divyanshu ads.

Several other companies have also worked on this initiative and you can purchase these rakhis online, something the pandemic has made us accustomed to. This can be an option for all those people who want to celebrate the festival with their loved ones and also do their bit for the environment.