The festival of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan celebrates the pure bond between
brother and sisters. On the day of Rakhsha Bandhan, sisters visit their
brother's house to tie Rakhi. She would meet her parents and celebrate
the day with the family. As per Indian customs she is bestowed with
gifts before leaving.
With the change in lifestyle, the traditions and festivals have also
adapted to the contemporary way of life. When sisters are married to far
off places or the brothers remain at jobs, away from home, they are not
able to meet on Rakhi festival. This gap is overcome by sending Raksha
Bandhan/Rakhi cards and Rakhi by post. Sending Rakhi cards is not a new
tradition and has been in fashion for generations. Brothers also sent
cash or gifts by mail as an acknowledgement together with a unique Rakhi
greeting card for their special sisters.
Raksha Bandhan/ Rakhi Greeting cards were found to be a better option
because these cards also voice the deepest emotions attached to the
festival, woven in a beautiful language and presented tastefully. The
Rakhi cards generally have a Rakhi and tilak in a pouch inside the Rakhi
card envelope. With the passage of time and change in the preference of
people, various types of Rakhi cards flood the card shops on the
occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Rakhi e-cards have also become popular of
late as they are easy to send and also freely available on many
websites.
In addition to this the e-Rakhi cards are the fastest as they can be
sent at the click of mouse. Many people prefer handmade cards for Raksha
Bandhan as they feel that these handmade Rakhi cards have more personal
touch. The way of celebration may have changed; modes of sending Rakhi
may have transformed the way of expression. What remains unchanged for
centuries is the eternal bond of love, caring and sharing between
brothers and sisters.
