Nagpur: Rakshabandhan celebrations got a head start for many women in Vidarbha thanks to the first two instalments of the Chief Minister’s Mazi Ladki Bahin scheme. With ₹3,000 in their hands, women, especially from Nagpur’s rural areas, hit the markets to buy rakhis and other festive items. “Three of us got ₹3,000 each credited yesterday.
So, today, we came to Nagpur for a special Rakshabandhan shopping. We will buy clothes for our kids and some gifts for our brothers and their kids as well,” said Alka Netam from Kalmeshwar. Since banks were closed and ATMs ran dry in many villages, women used the online payment mode to make purchases.
It’s a double celebration for them as they get ready to tie rakhis on their brothers’ wrists. “After today’s shopping in Sitabuldi, I will travel to Asola, my maternal home in Wardha district,” said Pratibha Chokse, a house-help who was shopping for clothes and gifts in the busy lanes of Sitabuldi. Interestingly, women get a 50% discount on MSRTC tickets under the ‘Mahila Samman Yojna’ of the state govt.
So, half-ticket travelling is also a big relief for them. This year, vendors have brought rakhis from various places like Gujarat, Hyderabad and Karnataka. Some vendors even have self-made rakhis for sale.
More than 30 varieties of rakhis are on display. “For children, the T20 World Cup, Olympics and Superheroes are donning rakhis this year. Chandrayaan, teddy bears, cartoons, and mythological characters too are popu.