Like most festivals in India, Rakshabandhan—more popularly known as Rakhi—celebrates the bond of love and support that exists between siblings, particularly between brothers and sisters. In fact, Rakshabandhan is one of the most historically secular festivals of the subcontinent, with stories such as those of Rani Karnawati of Mewar sending a rakhi to the Mughal emperor Humayun winning hearts and souls across centuries. Nowadays, Rakshabandhan has become even more inclusive with sisters choosing to tie rakhis on each other, proving that the bonds of love, support and protection can be accomplished across all relationships.
And now, women entrepreneurs across India have made Rakshabandhan 2022 an even more forward-thinking, inclusive and sustainable event by creating eco-friendly, vocal for local rakhis. Here’s everything you need to know about the initiatives which made Rakshabandhan 2022 more special than ever before.
80 Odisha Women Created Seed Rakhis
The Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) roped in 80 women farmers from three producer groups to create seed rakhis—rakhis made of biodegradable materials with the seed of an indigenous plant on top instead of a plastic decoration. The materials used include bamboo, cane and jute fibre, and the rakhis are priced between ₹20-₹30. The women farmers prepared more than 70,000 eco-friendly rakhis for sale. These eco-friendly rakhis were sold at the Cuttack railway station as well as the Annapurna Gramin Bazaar and Banki College.
Bamboo Rakhis By Meenakshi Walke
Meenakshi Walke from Chandrapur, Maharashtra, is a homemaker-turned-entrepreneur who specialises in bamboo products, and runs the initiative called Abhisar Innovatives with the help of the forest department—which employs local women who make everything from bamboo lamps to décor pieces. She started making bamboo rakhis from 2019 onwards, although they weren’t popular in the beginning. By 2021, the scene changed completely after Walke sold over 10,000 bamboo rakhis. In 2022, she has sold well over 6,000 bamboo rakhis, many of which were also exported to European nations.
From Waste-Pickers To Artisans Through Handcrafted Rakhis
A Delhi-based NGO, Gulmeher, has been working with women waste-pickers from the Ghazipur landfill to teach them creative skills. Since 2013, the social enterprise has been slowly upskilling these women particularly by teaching them how to create sustainable products for a livelihood. This year, these women artisans have created eco-friendly rakhis using cotton threads, pressed flowers and leaves, and seeds which can be planted later. In addition, the products are also packed sustainably, without the use of plastic packaging, tape, etc.
Himachal Women Turn Pine Needles Into Rakhis
Pine needles are found in abundance in the state of Himachal Pradesh. So, the Himachal Pradesh Institute of Administrative Reforms (HIPA) collaborated with Karwan to train local rural women with the twin objectives of generating a livelihood and conserving forests. Thus far, over 500 women from Shimla and Solan districts have learned how to create pine needle rakhis, as well as pine needle roti boxes, coasters, baskets, and even jewellery. This year, these women have also taken to enclosing plant seeds in the rakhis to ensure the continuation of greenery even if people discard them.