I’m a proud brother. And every year, when Rakshabandhan rolls around, the same memories come rushing back: a Batman rakhi, a plate full of ghewar vanishing into thin air, and me gifting my sister a watch or a bottle of perfume.
This was Rakhi then, simple and pure, without much ado.
Rakhi today is a different story.
What began as a festival to mark the special bonding between a brother and a sister has morphed into a celebration of who shows up for you. From asking brothers to protect sisters, it has transformed into a sister asking for support from whomever she chooses.
It’s a festival that’s no longer asking “who’s your brother,” but “who shows up for you.”
It’s Not Just About Protection Anymore
In a world where women are building their careers and managing everything on their own, the traditional Rakhi sentiment of women depending on their brothers for protection is a thing of the past.
Today, women want someone to stand by them and support them rather than protect them. This means even women who do not have brothers are redefining what it means to have a brother.
In 2021, East India Story wrote about two Delhi sisters, Yasna and Naisha, who started tying rakhis to each other. It began with a simple question from their mother, Jyoti Bajaj, “why should Raksha Bandhan only be about cousin brothers?” So the sisters gave it a try. Jyoti later wrote that the very first time they tied rakhis on each other, the whole family was “overwhelmed and overcome with emotion.”
Even Dogs are Joining in on the Action
This movement towards celebrating bonds beyond blood is not restricted to humans. Even dogs are in on the act.
In fact, these days, pet lovers would be surprised how many rakhis are tied to paws! Shalini Arora does not have a brother but has a dog named Tequila who she calls her most sincere ‘sibling.’
Shalini says, “Tequila’s like my brother, since I don’t have one in real life. Whenever I come back from my shoots, he’s always there at the door to greet me. He’s selfless and only expects love. Tying a rakhi to him makes all the sense to me.”
Also, can we talk about the name Tequila for a second? Iconic.
Bhabhis Get Their Moment Too
Here’s a trend that deserves way more credit than it gets: the Lumba Rakhi.
Instead of tying a rakhi only to the brother, sisters now tie one to their bhabhi (sister-in-law) as well. It usually goes around her bangle rather than her wrist. It’s a small addition, but the message is big: you’re family too, and we see you.
With this small addition, Rakhi starts to feel like something bigger than just a two-person story. It became a “we appreciate everyone who shows up for us” story—which, honestly, feels like where it should have been all along.
Then Gen Z Said, “Let’s Get Weird With It”
While most Rakhi celebrations continue to be about siblings, Gen Z has added its twist to the festival. According to 2025 Deccan Chronicle report, some siblings are turning shared DNA sequences into matching Rakhi-inspired tattoos.
Siblings get a DNA test done at a genetic lab, compare results, and find the exact strand of DNA they share. That shared sequence might be linked to things like taste preferences, emotional patterns, or rare inherited traits. Once they’ve found “their” sequence, some siblings get it tattooed on their skin. Others go simpler and just get matching tattoos instead.
Samar Deshmukh, who considered getting one done with his sibling, put it perfectly: “We thought of getting a quote or initials, but nothing felt as us as this. It’s weird, specific, and unites us more than anything else, but we are still thinking about it.”
I’ll be honest, walking around with permanent tattoos of one’s genetic makeup surely is a strange way to celebrate Rakhi. In fact, it is more like having your medical reports permanently inked on your body. Still, one cannot deny that whoever came up with the idea has serious merits for creativity!
And Naturally, Brands Couldn’t Stay Out of It
The consumer world has jumped on the bandwagon with both feet. This festival is a marketer’s dream come true. Brands go all out to come up with unique campaigns to cash in on the season.
In 2019, Cadbury (now Mondelēz India Foods Limited) came up with a Bluetooth rakhi, which used wireless technology to connect to your smartphone. When a brother wandered off too far, the rakhi would alert him to spend quality time with his sister.
The jewelry industry has also pitched in with their take on the rakhi redefinition. Their argument goes thus: the ‘dhaaga’ or the thread is merely a symbol of the eternal bond between a brother and a sister. Threads are inherently weak, so the companies reason, why not give sisters gold and diamond jewelry that will last longer?
The CEO of Digital Dogs Content and Media had this to say, “The ‘dhaaga’ originated as a metaphor that implied lasting relationships, sometimes with religious undertones. The red dhaaga of the pujas or the yellow and red dhaaga of the religious occasions were all temporary and hence thread-based. The rakhi, on the other hand, is a promise of a lifetime. Doesn’t it make sense, therefore, that a metaphor claiming “lifelong” is made of gold or diamonds that last a lifetime, and not threads, which do not?”
I might even be convinced to trade the simple thread for a jewellery Rakhi—if only my wallet agreed!
So, What Has It Become?
Between Batman, DNA, dogs, and bhabhis, Rakhi has grown up. From a festival of brother-sister bonding, it has transformed into a day where people appreciate all who stood by them through thick and thin. The festival has become a celebration of relationships, old and new, blood-related and otherwise. Rakhi today is no longer about blood but about belief and faith in the person you choose to stand by you and vice versa. And I, for one, am okay with that!
