8 Beautiful Rakhis for Brother and 10 Creative Rakhi Gifts for Sister (updated 2019). Plus A Look at the Traditions Surrounding Rakhi

As August rolls on, everyone starts preparing for the one festival that celebrates the relationship between a brother and a sister. Brothers start hunting for the perfect gift to their sisters while the sisters start searching for a beautiful rakhi or sometimes making one themselves. It’s the time when you leave everything behind and celebrate the occasion with your family, exchanging gifts and delicacies.

The love and the bond between a brother and a sister are what is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan. Their bond is unbreakable and is reinforced every year during this festival. On the day, a thali is prepared with a diya and other ceremonial items. The sister performs an aarthi for the brother, ties the rakhi on her brother’s wrist and finishes by applying a tilak and feeding her brother sweets and dry fruits. The brother then gives the gift to his sister.

Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the first full moon day in the month of Shravana of the lunar calendar. While many states celebrate it as Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Purnima, it is also the Avani Avittam in south India and also Upakarma for the Brahmins (the day they change their sacred threads).

Raksha Bandhan embodies the ultimate love between a sister and a brother. Raksha means 'protect' and Bandhan means 'to tie'. While the sister ties the rakhi as a token of their love, the brother gives her a gift pledging to protect his sister. The aarthi she takes for her brother is a prayer for his health, well being and prosperity.

Raksha Bandhan is a secular festival and is celebrated in many forms all over the country. While it varies from state to state, one aspect remains the same which is the sibling celebration and the pledge to love and protect one another. Rakhi doesn't have to be between blood brother and sister. It brings people together beyond any religion and caste.

Many years back, rakhis were handmade by the women in the family especially the sisters. With the busy, mechanical life not everyone gets time to make them. Here are some beautiful rakhis as an embodiment of your love for your brother.

If you are looking for a classy and elegant design for your brother, the designer set by eCraftIndia is the one for you. Featuring a teardrop design with pearls and zardosi work make this perfect for someone as loving as your brother. It comes with a festival wishes card where you can add your handwritten wishes for your brother. You can buy it for ₹269 at flipkart.com.

If your brother lives away from you then the ideal solution is to send him a complete gift set that has everything! There are several options in combos today - with a rakhi you can add chocolates, dry fruits, sweets and even cake. Here is one such cute gift box that contains one rakhi, a 100 gms bottle of choco cookies and a bottle of Mix dry fruits. The mandatory roli chawal is of course included! All for just Rs. 779 on FlowerAura

Make Raksha Bandhan remarkable for your sibling with the metallic designer set Rakhi. The Rakhi has a fancy flower with a stone in the centre. The gold beads on the sides give a regal look to the Rakhi. It is tastefully packed making it extra special for the special day. It is available for ₹375 at igp.com.

Get your puja thali readymade from igp.com for this year’s Rakhi. The Rakhi itself is made of elegant wooden beads . The thali has a really pretty meenakari work engraved and painted on it. Also available are options to add chocolates or sweets for extra cost. You can buy it for ₹480 here.

Personalised rakhi is all the rage now. You can customize rakhis with photos, engravings and messages. This particular rakhi has your brother's name engraved out- a truly different rakhi don't you think? All you need to do after placing the order is to send out the name via email. You can find this one on Amazon India for ₹225. Do note that this particular pattern might work only if the name is short. You can always go for a photo rakhi like this one for Rs. 499.

Worried that you still haven’t got the perfect Rakhi for your brother? We have covered you too! What better than a personal touch by making Rakhis by hand. Below are the best and easy Rakhi designs for you.

What if we told you that making those expensive beaded, silk thread rakhis at home is not only possible but actually quite easy? Follow this video tutorial by Artkala to learn how to make three different styles of beautiful rakhis at home using only a few basic materials.

Stringing beads together is very easy to do and the results are remarkable. Follow the video above to learn how to make gorgeous bead rakhis in five easy steps. The only need some beads, thread, a needle, and basic knotting skills to pull this off, also making this project extremely straightforward and easy on the wallet. The only real challenge is sourcing the right combination of beads for your rakhi. The best place to find them would be your local markets which sell all kinds of beads, tassels and laces.

While not as easy as the previous two Rakhis, this is entirely doable for even a beginner. Spend some time and make this gorgeous peacock Rakhi for your brother who will definitely appreciate your effort. Everything you need to make this beautiful piece can be bought from your local craft store. It includes ball chains in different colours, stone chain, pearl chain and silk threads. If you are looking for something that has a wow factor and something you don't mind spending some time working on, then this is the one.

Gifts always make us happy; sending or receiving. We don't stop at a chance to shop for a gift. When you are looking for gifts, remember to buy something that is sure to bring a smile to her face, something that reminds her of you whenever she sees it. We have compiled a list of everything as delicate and precious as your sister.

Who doesn't love a home decor gift? This Aroma Diffuser Set is perfect if your sister loves frangrances. The set is all inclusive with a diffuser pot, eight reed sticks, a Diffuser oil bottle, a bag of potpourri plus a small bottle of Potpourri Refresher Oil. This particular set we've chosen has French Lavender fragrance, but there are numerous option available. You can buy it for ₹599 from PepperFry.

Drinking water stored in copper bottles is very beneficial to our health. Copper metal is antimicrobial, and a great brain stimulant and storing water inside utensils made of this metal passes on many nutritional properties to the water. In Vedic scriptures, it is mentioned to help balance all three doshas. This copper bottle with a set of two glasses is a perfect gift to your sister in terms of health benefits and aesthetics. The bottle and the glasses have been designed to fit in with modern life. You can buy this from igp.com for ₹830.

Who wouldn’t love a beautiful Jewellery Box ? It is a beautiful addition to your sister's vanity table, storing all her valuables in a safe and organised manner. You can get the box for ₹1,100 here.

Is your sister a young girl or a teen? Don't you worry we covered you! This set of chic and trendy bracelets in pale pink, silver and red make for a perfect accessory for your bubbly and vibrant sister, and will brighten up the whole look. The bracelets are all of different patterns so she has something to wear with all her outfits. This stylish bracelet set is available on myntra.com for ₹772.

A sports jacket might not be counted as a traditional gift for your sister but if she is of the sporty kind then she would love a cool new one! This solid pink sporty jacket comes with a mock collar, three pockets on the outside and long sleeves. With a well fittng design, you sister will love herself in this charming piece. Order it on Myntra for ₹1,400.

Who wouldn’t love a watch, something new and trendy to match our attire. You can never have enough watches to not want more. This trendy and vogue silver watch from Fastrack is perfect for casuals and semi-formals. This is ideal for your college-going sister who loves to show off her fashion sense. You can buy this from igp.com for ₹3,670.

If you are looking for something handy for your little fashionista sister, get her this textured sling from ajio.com. The handbag is an embodiment of beauty and elegance with its cut work. Made of PU it comes with one main compartment, one zipped pocket inside and one outside. Its simple but spacious design makes this bag is ideal for her daily use. You can purchase it for ₹840 at igp.com.

A stole is a versatile piece of accessory that can be worn with almost every kind of attire - from a casual jeans combo to a traditional salwar suit. Buy her this Bagh phulkari stole that is a work of beauty. Richly coloured and intricately embroidered, this stole will add charm to her every outfit. The length of the stole is 1.80 meters and is width is 0.50 meters. The material is viscose which makes it easily manageable for daily use. Get it on ajio.com for Rs. 880

Does your sister love music? Is she stuck on her phone all the while watching videos, then consider these quirky wireless headphones from bigsmall.in.

Featuring the Wonder Woman logo, these Bluetooth enabled headphones can last up to 10 hours on a full charge. Enough to last her the whole day! Get these cool headphones on the site for Rs. 1,450

What’s a better way to show your love for your sister than a personalised plaque? The whole frame is customised with the picture you select and provide. Now just imagine a sweet moment between you and your sister immortalized in the picture frame and sitting on her mantle! You can buy this for ₹799 at Amazon India. Don’t forget to provide a beautiful picture of you both together.

Want something more simple then consider this simple photo frame with a lovely message - Always My Sister, Forever My Friend. Order it on Amazon for Rs. 499.