In a small workshop in Paradsinga, Madhya Pradesh, a bunch of ladies sit cross-legged on the ground, their fingers shifting swiftly by means of vibrant threads. The cotton feels smooth, dyed in heat shades of turmeric yellow and indigo blue. Bowls of pure dyes — constructed from flowers and vegetation — relaxation in a single nook. Laughter fills the room as somebody gently slips tiny seeds right into a rakhi’s tassels.
On the centre of the group is Geeta Keskar (47), guiding a workforce of 16 ladies. Each rakhi they make carries one thing extraordinary — basil, spinach, and amaranthus seeds ready to sprout after the competition is over.
For Geeta, these threads mark a turning level in her life. “Earlier, I needed to suppose twice earlier than shopping for something for myself. Now, I earn my very own cash,” she says, her voice regular with pleasure.
For 300 ladies throughout 14 villages, this work means earnings, selection, and stability. For you, it’s a method to make Raksha Bandhan extra significant — whereas caring for the earth and the individuals who make your traditions potential.
What makes these rakhis particular
Most rakhis in retailers in the present day are manufactured from plastic. They shine for a day, then find yourself in landfills. These rakhis take a distinct path:
- Handspun from desi cotton on conventional charkhas
- Dyed with colors constructed from turmeric, marigold, and indigo
- Embedded with actual seeds that may develop into herbs and greens
- Packed in seed paper that can be planted
If you order one, you assist rural ladies carry safety and dignity into their houses. It’s eco-friendly, and after the competition, it grows into life!
What occurs after the competition
Yearly, tens of millions of rakhis are discarded after a single day. However what if yours might proceed to develop — similar to your bond?
With a seed rakhi, the competition doesn’t finish when the sweets are completed. It turns into a dwelling reminiscence.
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Right here’s methods to flip your rakhi right into a plant
- After Raksha Bandhan, lower the tassels from the rakhi.
- Fill a small pot with unfastened, well-drained soil.
- Place the tassels with seeds gently on the floor and canopy with one to 2 centimetres of soil.
- Water frivolously — the soil ought to keep moist however not soggy.
- Preserve the pot in oblique daylight.
- In about seven to 10 days, look ahead to inexperienced shoots to emerge.
One thing so small, but it carries your promise far past the competition.
The story behind each thread
Your rakhi begins in Vidarbha, the place farmers develop indigenous cotton as an alternative of genetically modified crops. From there, it strikes to group workshops the place ladies spin yarn, put together pure dyes, and weave brilliant patterns.
For ladies like Geeta, this work modifications greater than their funds — it modifications their sense of self. “We determine the colors. We select the patterns. We create one thing of our personal,” she says.
What began 9 years in the past as a small experiment now sustains lots of of households whereas holding dangerous plastic out of the surroundings.
Why this selection issues
If you decide a seed rakhi, you:
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- Give rural ladies an opportunity to earn and reside with dignity
- Preserve dangerous plastic out of landfills
- Flip a practice right into a dwelling reminiscence, rooted within the soil
Raksha Bandhan is constructed on care. This 12 months, let that care attain past the wrist — into houses, soil, and futures.
Need to know what goes into making a rakhi that grows into life? Learn the complete story here.
