Wednesday, 30 August 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN /JOSHIMATH
Eco-friendly and culture-oriented Rakhis being made by women self help groups are popular in the market for Rakshabandhan this year. Many women SHGs in various parts of the State are actively promoting the culture by engaging in the production of traditional Rakhis for the occasion.
In view of the cultural and religious importance of Bhojpatra, a women’s SHG established under the National Rural Livelihood Mission in the Chamoli district has crafted Rakhis using Bhojpatra derived from the bark of the Bhoj tree. Bhojpatra has traditionally served as a medium for inscribing religious and sacred texts. Hence, this Rakshabandhan the wrists of brothers shall be adorned with Rakhis fashioned from the Bhojpatra. These special Rakhis were marketed by the women of the group by setting up stalls in all the blocks of the district from August 24.
Further, many local organisations also initiated the sale of handmade Rakhis through social media channels in the State this year. They aimed to actively endorse the cultural heritage of the State by establishing direct connections with customers across diverse social media platforms.
The founder of Minakriti-The Aipan Project, Minakshi Khati who currently lives in Ramnagar said that her organisation made Aipan form Rakhis to promote the culture of Kumaon which is less known to the younger generation. She said that this year her organisation made about 1,000 Rakhis and has sold a large number across the country and abroad. She informed that they have inscribed common words of Kumaoni and Garhwali languages on these Rakhis.
Khati further said that the objective of making an Aipan Rakhi was to make locals self-reliant, promote folk art and encourage people to use more eco-friendly products to protect the environment.
