Cow dung rakhis bloom as Uttarkashi women find new livelihood

As rakhi shopping is going on with the Rakshabandhan festival a few days away, an astounding variety of rakhis is now flooding the markets. However, amidst the craze for modern and colourful rakhis, the Vedic rakhis — made from cow dung — keep their dignified presence. Orders have come for them from several places across the country, like Mumbai, Noida and Jaipur. Stating this, the principal inspiration behind this initiative, Ajay Prakash Badola, a social worker, said that such rakhis are not just environment-friendly but are also becoming a means of self-employment for local women.

However, this is not a novel initiative. For the past five years, Badola has been preparing Vedic rakhis from cow dung. “This is indeed a special rakhi — eco-friendly, totally biodegradable, made from processed cow dung. Its speciality is further enhanced by the special look given to them this year. They are embedded in plant seeds with pictures of ancient shrines of mythological significance spread across Uttarkashi attached to them. Importantly, after Rakshabandhan festivities are over, if these rakhis are put in soil or a pot, the seeds present in them can germinate and take the form of a plant,” Badola said.

Sharing more on this initiative, he said that it is also meant to make the women, associated with self-help groups, self-reliant by providing them with free training. “This strengthens the vocal-for-local campaign by promoting local resources while blending tradition with modern aesthetics. Demand for these rakhis is on the rise, with orders from places far away from Uttarkashi pouring in steadily,” he added.

Archana Negi and Geeta Shah of Uttarkashi have also started preparing Vedic rakhis. They say this initiative has provided them with employment opportunities while staying at home, which help to supplement their family income.

This initiative has a social aspect, too. “20 per cent of the profits from the sale of these rakhis will be spent to help poor and needy children,” Badola said, adding that a part of the profits would also go to the straggling family of Indramani Nautiyal, a resident of Uttarkashi, who remains stranded abroad.