Gujarat
Rakhi making a source of income for hundreds of women in Vadodara
17-year-old Ansari Ruhani from Vadodara is making rakhis to earn a living and support her family. She is studying in the 11th grade at Fatimazohra School and also makes rakhis in her free time, which gives her the confidence to stand on her own feet at this young age. Many girls and women like her are earning throughout the year by making rakhis and becoming self-sufficient.
Like Ruhani, many girls and women from both religions in Vadodara earn a living through this work. They prepare different varieties of rakhis, which are later sent to different cities and also exported to other countries based on orders. Ruhani’s mother and elder sister, who is in the 12th standard, are also engaged in this rakhi-making business to support the family. This is all possible due to the efforts of Babubhai Rakhdiwala, who has been running the rakhi business since 1969 and has helped hundreds of women stand on their own feet by engaging them in rakhi-making work.
The festival of brother-sister love knits a strong bond between women of both religions as they make rakhis and spread love all across the world.
“For the past couple of years, I have been involved in Rakhi-making to earn money and support my family. I am a student in the 11th grade and do this work during my free time. The brother-sister relationship transcends religion, and this work brings me joy. I am drawn to it because it provides financial stability and has also boosted my confidence, as I realize that I can earn and help my mother manage our expenses,” said Ruhani.
Ruhani and other women like her first learn the art and then engage in Rakhi-making work. “I have been working here for the past couple of years and am earning well enough to support my family. We get work not only during the Raksha Bandhan festival but throughout the year, and that helps me manage the expenses,” said Krishna Mandale, who is 24 years old and did odd jobs before working here.
These women are well-supported by Babubhai Rakhdiwala, who has been running this business since 1969 and has provided employment opportunities to hundreds of women since then. He said there are no religious barriers to doing this; it is a festival of love, and our business is run with the same affection towards everyone. Most importantly, it is making them self-sufficient.
“The raw materials come from Delhi, Mumbai, China, and Indonesia. After initial training, the girls get the beads, thread, pendants, and other materials from us and prepare different varieties of rakhis as per demand like Shree Ganesh, religious, fancy, and simple along with kids’ rakhis. The orders start from March and go on till August and range from the market to individuals. The women regularly get work as rakhi making is carried out throughout the year,” said Babubhai Rakhdiwala.
Many Muslim girls and women are engaged in making rakhis to become self-reliant and support their families
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The festival of brother-sister love knits a strong bond between individuals of both religions as they make rakhis and spread love all across the world