Designer rakhis flood Jamshedpur market to woo customers

Jamshedpur, Aug 7: Freed from COVID-19 pandemic, denizens are looking forward to celebrating the festival of Raksha Bandhan with fresh vigour this time. The celebrations in the past have been subdued due to fear of the pandemic. However, with lockdown being a thing of the past now, the people across the State are set to make the celebration a memorable one this time.

The festival of sacred bond between brother and sister- is all set to be celebrated with fun and enthusiasm in the city on August 11. The market too is flooded with rakhis and other gift items for the occasion.

From up market shops to wholesale dealers of rakhis, traders across the city said that the sale this year is quite impressive. Traders at Jugsalai, said to be one of the biggest markets selling rakhis in the city, said that they are confident of a 15 per cent rise in their revenue compared to last year.

Assuming the average cost of each rakhi as Rs 20, the city’s wholesale market would have sold a whopping 75 lakh rakhis. Fuelling the rakhi sales are new designs with a contemporary look which were a big hit among children. Dealers said that apart from the traditional thread and zari rakhis, fancy rakhis studded with stones and various materials including gold and silver apart from cartoon rakhis for children are selling like hotcakes.

A trader of Jugsalai said that designer rakhis had caught the buyers fancy and people were splurging Rs 200-300 per rakhi. Like clothes, hundreds of varieties of rakhis at these markets are sourced not just from the city but from Kolkata,Delhi,Mumbai and Jaipur.

“Our city’s cosmopolitan nature adds more colors and joy to the festival as people of various communities who have made Jamshedpur their home celebrate the occasion in their own unique style and customs. We have lined up several types of designer rakhis and gift packs for both sisters and brothers. Depending on the need one can buy. The gift packs are priced between Rs 100 and Rs 1,000 while rakhis are available from minimum Rs 5 to Rs 200,” said Uma Tulsian, a private seller of Sonari.

She further informed that there are gift packs too that contain sandalwood or designer rakhis, and ornate boxes of ‘roli and chawal’. In fact, there are even special envelopes to send rakhis to brothers settled abroad.

The spirit of Raksha Bandhan radiates across the city. As the day nears, youngsters flocked to the markets to get a fashionable gift for their sisters from a range of imported chocolates, kurtis, perfumes, watches, and even laptops! Trying to meet the demands of readymade articles, some shops displayed in their rakhi shelves, an assorted collection of ready-made plates with kumkum, rice, rakhi, and sweets.

One of the functionaries of Maheshwari Mahila Mandal that organises rakhi mela, said that in some customs, the sister ties a Rakhi to her sister-in-law as well. Traditionally known as ‘Lumba Rakhi’ these vibrant and ornamental threads are also available in the fair.

“Raksha Bandhan strengthens the bond and establishes the loving fraternal relationship between brother and sister. On this festive occasion the sisters tie a Rakhi thread on the brother’s wrist, perform ‘aarti’ and pray for the well being of their brothers. We believe that this thread, signifying a sister’s love for her brother, is stronger than iron chains,” said Sunita Tapadia, another senior functionary of Maheshwari Mahila Mandal.

“The Internet rakhi can never be a substitute for the real one. We have had many customers buying rakhis for their brothers settled in different cities. The postal departments new waterproof envelopes too have encouraged many people to send their rakhi by snail mail, said a seller at Sakchi.