THE THREAD of Raksha Bandhan, better known as Rakhi in India, depicts the bond of love between brothers and sisters has changed with the changing society. From a bare sacred thread to Rakhis in Gold and Silver, the Raksha Bandhan thread has evolved a lot. Nowadays they even form a fashion statement with people procuring Rakhis in different stones and precious metals.

Initially a thread, mostly red or yellow, used to be the choice of the day in raksha bandhan but slowly it evolved to threads of Resham and beads and now people have gone a step forward with gold and silver threads. If a sister really wants to add a surprise quotient then they can also go for a more unusual rakhi like the musical rakhi.

The trend these days is however of the gold and silver rakshi. Normally, rakhi starts from rupees 15 and can go upto 5,000. The normal roadside vendor usually have something from rupees 15 to rupees 150. However, there are shops that keep rakhis costing upto 5,000. These days rakhis with semi-precious stones and precious stones are mostly in vogue. People are not reluctant to spend a fortune for their sibling and Rakha Bandhan is really big in North India.

Suhas Aher, senior manager, Sparkle Diamonds, jewellery brand was quoted saying, “We started making diamond rakhis last year. And to our surprise, we have received a massive response this year as compared to 2010. When gold or diamond is added to the thread, these rakhis become more than just a band on the hand - emotionally and also monetarily. They are a good investment.”
The precious rakhis are made creatively so that they can be used as a pendant after the ceremony. The market for such rakhis is not big but these days people are ready to experiment and they are open to creative ideas. People who have money to spend do indulge in these rakhis. This year the demand is also high. Talking about the same phenomenon a local rakhi shopkeeper said, “We have been making rakhis in gold, silver for quite a few years. But this year, the demand is much more. We have tried to be a little more innovative with our designing, and incorporated gem stones like ruby and emerald also this year. However, the red thread (mauli) has always been an important part of a rakhi, and will always be.”