Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Bengal’s Handmade Rakhis Reach U.S. Markets Ahead of Raksha Bandhan
Rakhis are special threads exchanged by brothers and sisters during Raksha Bandhan.
Some rakhis made in a village in West Bengal have been sold to people in the United States.
Shanku Das and his wife make many kinds of rakhis throughout the year.
Their work also provides materials and designs for nearly 500 women who make rakhis at home.
The festival creates important work for families in several parts of Bengal.
A cooperative in Kalna received a large order worth at least 2 crore.
In another part of Bengal, artisans are making rakhis from natural and discarded materials.
These include banana leaves, jute, seeds, paddy and water hyacinth.
Handmade rakhis from Harinali village in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district have been exported to buyers in the United States.
Artisans Shanku Das and his wife make traditional rakhis year-round, with production increasing before Raksha Bandhan.
Raw materials and designs from the Das household support nearly 500 women artisans across several districts in Bengal.
A Rakhi cooperative in Kalna secured a bulk order worth at least 2 crore this year.
Artisans in Nadia are also making biodegradable rakhis from materials including banana leaves, jute, seeds and water hyacinth.
- Who
- Artisans including Shanku Das, his wife and nearly 500 women craft rakhis in Bengal.
- What
- Handmade traditional and biodegradable rakhis have received Indian and United States orders.
- When
- Ahead of Raksha Bandhan this year, with production peaking before the festival.
- Where
- The craft is centered in Harinali and Kalna in West Bengal, with artisans also working in Nadia, Hooghly and Paschim Medinipur; some products were exported to the United States.
- Why
- Orders are expanding the market for Bengal’s traditional craft and supporting rural livelihoods.
- Export market
- Handmade rakhis from Harinali were sold to buyers in the United States.
- Main craft location
- Harinali village, Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal.
- Artisan network
- Materials and designs from the Das household support nearly 500 women artisans.
- Bulk order
- A Rakhi cooperative in Kalna secured an order worth at least 2 crore.
- Production cycle
- Shanku Das and his wife make rakhis year-round, with work increasing before Raksha Bandhan.
- Eco-friendly materials
- Artisans in Nadia use banana stems and leaves, water hyacinth, paddy, seeds, jute, wood dust and pistachio shells.