Chinese rakhis outshine Chinese toys

New Delhi, Aug 19 (UNI) After global recall of 18 million toys by Mattel, products with 'made-in-China' tag may be suspect as hazardous, but 'Chinese Rakhi' continues to be a hit with the consumers.

With Raksha Bandhan around the corner, Chinese rakhis are selling like hot cakes in the market here. For the kids, who are trend conscious and very much mesmerised by the characters of Harry Potter, Spiderman, Superman and Hanuman, the figurines featuring in the Rakhi seem to be just what they always wanted.

The high point is that once the festival is over, these figurines can be reused either for playing or as 'stick-on' decorative material on the study table, wall or cycle. Fancy bracelets and bands, crafted from wooden beads and stones, are also catching the eye of the young.

''There is good demand for Chinese Rakhis. Especially among the kids, it is very popular. Youngsters are also buying fancy bracelets and bands as they are reusable and affordable too. the price varies from Rs 15 to Rs 450, '' Sukhwinder Bindra, a retailer in North West Delhi said.

A large chunk of Rakhis available in the market come from Kolkata where Rabindra Nath Tagore started the festival of "Raksha Bandhan" in 1905 to propagate the feeling of brotherhood among people of different castes and religions.

''A big lot available in the market come from Kolkata and Mumbai is also a contributor. But, these days, the customers are caught in the magical spell of 'made-in china' label,'' Bindra said.

For some sisters, spiderman may not be that attractive but they would go in for a bit of "Feng Shui" in "Rakhi" form. It is claimed that "Feng Shui Rakhi" brings good luck to the wearer even after taking it off once the festival is over. Just by keeping them in a corner of the room facing a particular direction, according to believers, would bring in good luck.

Call centre employee Neha Sharma said, ''I feel Feng Shui products like laughing Buddha, tortoises and gold fishes are really auspicious. Rakhi is all about praying for the well being of the brother. And, Feng Shui Rakhi is perfectly suited for it.'' Although, the style and design of the sacred thread have changed over the years, the unconditional love of sister and brother still remains the same. So, it hardly matters whether she ties a "Mouli Rakhi" (traditional red coloured sacred thread) or a Chinese bracelet on his hand.

However, with the "contemporary yet traditional" looks and finish, the 'made in China' rakhi is captivating the market and dear sister's heart too.

UNI