Dinesh Kamath's news 'Preparation for Raksha Bandhan Day in progress' that was published in Newsband

Preparation for Raksha Bandhan Day in progress

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: Navi Mumbai is one city which pays special attention to special kids. Before the Raksha Bandhan Festival starts, the rakhis made by special children have been kept for sale in different parts of Navi Mumbai. These special kids have been competing with one another to make most number of Rakhis and even to come up with Rakhis which would be sold for the highest price. The Rakhis made by these special kids are being sold not for profit but to make them feel one like other normal people during the festival.

Students from Swami Brahmananda Pratisthan in CBD and ETC centre in Vashi are doing an excellent job in the matter of preparing beautifully designed rachis.  

Considering the fact that Raksha Bandhan is just a week away, the shops in Navi Mumbai are adorned with a huge number of Rakhis of various designs and colours and also with different prices. The made-in-China Rakhis are preferred by many people owing to their low price and eye-catching designs. Rakhis made of beads, pearls, trinkets, bracelets and shiny stones are also in demand. Kids prefer Rakhis having their favourite cartoon characters.

The shops in APMC particularly are doing roaring business. These areas appear bright and colourful and crowded with Rakhi-buyers from various parts of Navi Mumbai. There is great demand also for Rakhis made in India. The shops display Rakhis right from simple threads to the more elaborate and fancy ones. The modern youngsters prefer to buy stylish Rakhis. The demand is not only for the Rakhis but also puja materials and other paraphernalia required during the festival.

Thus the residents of Navi Mumbai are preparing themselves for Raksha Bandhan the Hindu festival that celebrates the love and duty between brothers and sisters and which is also popularly used to celebrate any brother-sister relationship between men and women who are relatives or biologically unrelated.  

Many women of the city particularly are busy shopping for Rakhis, the ceremonial thread marking brother-sister love. Some women are making their own Rakhis. There are some who prefer Rakhi to be a simple thread, woven and colorful; others like a Rakhi to be intricate with amulets and decoration on top of it. The men of Navi Mumbai too are looking forward to get an opportunity to wear Rakhis like a fancy wrist watch or wrist accessory in the form of bracelet or jewellery. Rakhi in the form of a colorful woven thread are preferred by most of the common people. It is not just the women who are doing the shopping. Men too are shopping in search of eye-catching gifts for the sister. Common people prefer to give their sisters simple gifts as a simple thoughtful token of love.

The city residents are also on the lookout for nice dresses to wear during this occasion. The sisters and brothers who are geographically separated are all prepared to mail the Rakhis and gifts, along with greeting cards or letters wishing each other well. The other items that the city residents are on the lookout for are lighted lamps (diyas) which are required while performing the rituals on Raksha Bandhan Day.

During a survey it was found that most of the brothers preferred to give their sisters gifts such as cards, clothes, money or something thoughtful.