shivangi.vashisht@hindustantimes.com
Chandigarh Some traditions stay alive, but with a modern twist. The onset of the festive season has once again brought colour to city markets, with Raksha Bandhan preparations beginning in earnest. Yet, while the way people shop for the festival may have changed, the familiar ritual of stepping out with family to pick a rakhi remains in place.
That ritual may now have a digital alternative, but in the markets of Chandigarh, still looks much the same. Rakhi stalls begin to brighten up the streets, with colourful threads and eye-catching designs. For little children, the cartoon rakhi steals the show, with faces of their favourite characters like Doraemon, Shinchan and Spiderman. Light-up rakhis, which glow and flash, are another attraction for younger shoppers, while some feature rakhis adorned with religious figures.
Online shopping, meanwhile, has brought an altogether different set of choices to the rakhi basket. Alongside personalised and premium designs, shoppers can now choose from sustainable alternatives such as bamboo rakhis, biodegradable threads and plantable rakhis containing seeds that can be planted after the festival and grown into a plant.
And while the rakhi can now be chosen with a few taps on a phone, sellers across different parts of Chandigarh say the online shift has not noticeably thinned the crowds at their stalls. Footfall, they say, remains much the same as in previous years.
{{/usCountry}}And while the rakhi can now be chosen with a few taps on a phone, sellers across different parts of Chandigarh say the online shift has not noticeably thinned the crowds at their stalls. Footfall, they say, remains much the same as in previous years.
{{/usCountry}}“Perhaps it has something to do with the ritual itself. Buying a rakhi is not always just about buying a thread. For many families, it is an outing, browsing through stalls, comparing designs and prices, and choosing something together. It is an experience that a delivery box at the doorstep cannot quite replicate” highlighted Suresh, a rakhi seller in Sector 41.
There is also an interesting price difference. Street-side stalls are offering rakhis across a fairly accessible ₹10 to ₹200 range, while online options can be a little more expensive. The digital marketplace, however, offers a wider variety, particularly for shoppers looking for personalised, premium or environmentally conscious choices.
But beneath the cartoons, lights, religious motifs and eco-friendly innovations, the reason people continue to walk into these markets may be rather simpler.
For some, the rakhi is still something to be picked up in a crowded market, held in the hand and chosen with the family while for others, it is now something that arrives at the doorstep , perhaps with a seed tucked inside, waiting for a life of its own after the festival.