Siblings Root For Green Rakhi Ties
This Raksha Bandhan, many brothers and sisters are planting and tying eco-friendly rakhis around trees to protect and nurture Mother Nature
By : Rochelle Crasto
Update: 2025-08-06 15:23 GMT
If you spot a tulsi plant rocking a rakhi this August, don’t blink twice. You’re not seeing things—it’s just Raksha Bandhan getting a leafy upgrade. The sacred thread of protection, traditionally tied by sisters on their brothers’ wrists, is now circling tree trunks, twirling around potted succulents, and making besties with balcony ferns.
In 2025, sibling love is growing in new directions—roots, stems, and all. Eco-conscious families are taking the festival outdoors (or at least out onto their balconies), tying rakhis on plants as a symbolic promise to protect and nurture nature, just as one would a sibling. It’s part love letter, part climate pledge—and yes, it still comes with sweets.
Leaf Me Alone
What started as a one-off gesture in a few urban homes is now sprouting into a full-fledged feel-good trend. In an era of composting, upcycling, and carrying your own steel straw, it was only a matter of time before Indian festivals got a green makeover too. “I love the idea,” says Ekta Vishal Bhabal, founder of handmade rakhi label Kalakruti. “It’s such a sweet gesture to include plants in our celebrations. It shows care not just for our loved ones but for the Earth too.”
Ekta admits she hadn’t seen plant-themed rakhis before, but she was instantly charmed. “The thought of tying a rakhi on a plant really touched me. It’s a lovely way to connect tradition with nature,” she says. “Now I want to explore more sustainable options—like eco-friendly threads, plantable paper, or natural dyes. It’s a meaningful direction to grow in.”
She’s already begun ditching synthetic materials in favour of cotton threads, upcycled fabric scraps, and even handmade beads. “Even small changes—like using less plastic in packaging—can make a big difference,” she adds.
Tiny Hands, Big Promises
Some of the most enthusiastic rakhi-tree ambassadors? Kids. Turns out, when you hand a child a homemade rakhi and a baby mango plant, you unlock something magical: empathy, responsibility, and adorable declarations of leafy loyalty.
“I introduced plant rakhi tying during our school’s eco-week,” says Shreya Menon, a pre-primary teacher in Pune. “The kids made rakhis out of old newspaper, dried flowers, and wool scraps. Then we tied them to trees in our garden. They gave the trees names and now they remind me every week to ‘water Raju Uncle’ or ‘check on Pinky Tree.’ It’s hilarious—and surprisingly moving.”
The activity, Shreya says, helps kids grasp the concept of protection beyond people. “They understand that the tree gives them air, shade, sometimes fruit—and that their rakhi is a promise to care for it in return.”
Rakhi-Tree Ambassadors
It’s Raksha Bandhan with training wheels—and a watering can. One Tree Hill (And a Whole Lot of Feels). For some, the trend isn’t just cute—it’s deeply personal. “My brother passed away five years ago,” shares Namrata Joshi, a marketing executive from Bengaluru. “Raksha Bandhan became a really hard day for me. But one year, I tied a rakhi to a potted plant he had gifted me. It wasn’t planned, it just felt comforting. Like the bond was still alive, just growing in a new way.”
Since then, Namrata has kept the tradition going. “That plant is huge now, by the way,” she laughs. “It kind of feels like he’s still here—quiet, steady, always around.” While she still ties rakhis on her cousins, the plant remains the centrepiece of her ritual. “It’s become this sacred moment for me. And honestly, the plant has been more loyal than most relatives.”
New Green Bonds
The beauty of the plant rakhi trend lies in its simplicity, and how easy it is to make it your own. Some tie one rakhi on their sibling and one on a tree; others do away with human wrists altogether and focus on their green babies. Some use seed paper rakhis that sprout into herbs; others make DIY cotton-thread versions with old buttons and fabric scraps.
Every year during Rakhi Poornima, as shops fill with shiny threads and sweet boxes, a small, quiet ritual unfolds in Visakhapatnam’s public parks and roadside verges. A modest group of locals—armed not with gift bags but cotton rakhis—walk among the trees, tying threads around trunks that have stood sentinel over the city for decades. There are no selfies, no frills, no loud declarations. Just a simple, collective act of gratitude.
What ties everyone together (pun intended) is the growing desire to make celebrations meaningful, not just photo-worthy. “Festivals don’t have to be wasteful,” Ekta says. “You can hold on to the emotions while letting go of the glitter and plastic.”
Wrap-Around Time
So, this Raksha Bandhan, if you see a marigold-threaded rakhi swaying from a neem tree or tied delicately around a money plant, don’t be confused. It’s not a prank. It’s a quiet act of love—for siblings, yes, but also for the only home we all share: Earth!
Leaf Me Alone
What started as a one-off gesture in a few urban homes is now sprouting into a full-fledged feel-good trend. In an era of composting, upcycling, and carrying your own steel straw, it was only a matter of time before Indian festivals got a green makeover too. “I love the idea,” says Ekta Vishal Bhabal, founder of handmade rakhi label Kalakruti. “It’s such a sweet gesture to include plants in our celebrations. It shows care not just for our loved ones but for the Earth too.”
Ekta admits she hadn’t seen plant-themed rakhis before, but she was instantly charmed. “The thought of tying a rakhi on a plant really touched me. It’s a lovely way to connect tradition with nature,” she says. “Now I want to explore more sustainable options—like eco-friendly threads, plantable paper, or natural dyes. It’s a meaningful direction to grow in.”
She’s already begun ditching synthetic materials in favour of cotton threads, upcycled fabric scraps, and even handmade beads. “Even small changes—like using less plastic in packaging—can make a big difference,” she adds.
Tiny Hands, Big Promises
Some of the most enthusiastic rakhi-tree ambassadors? Kids. Turns out, when you hand a child a homemade rakhi and a baby mango plant, you unlock something magical: empathy, responsibility, and adorable declarations of leafy loyalty.
“I introduced plant rakhi tying during our school’s eco-week,” says Shreya Menon, a pre-primary teacher in Pune. “The kids made rakhis out of old newspaper, dried flowers, and wool scraps. Then we tied them to trees in our garden. They gave the trees names and now they remind me every week to ‘water Raju Uncle’ or ‘check on Pinky Tree.’ It’s hilarious—and surprisingly moving.”
The activity, Shreya says, helps kids grasp the concept of protection beyond people. “They understand that the tree gives them air, shade, sometimes fruit—and that their rakhi is a promise to care for it in return.”
Rakhi-Tree Ambassadors
It’s Raksha Bandhan with training wheels—and a watering can. One Tree Hill (And a Whole Lot of Feels). For some, the trend isn’t just cute—it’s deeply personal. “My brother passed away five years ago,” shares Namrata Joshi, a marketing executive from Bengaluru. “Raksha Bandhan became a really hard day for me. But one year, I tied a rakhi to a potted plant he had gifted me. It wasn’t planned, it just felt comforting. Like the bond was still alive, just growing in a new way.”
Since then, Namrata has kept the tradition going. “That plant is huge now, by the way,” she laughs. “It kind of feels like he’s still here—quiet, steady, always around.” While she still ties rakhis on her cousins, the plant remains the centrepiece of her ritual. “It’s become this sacred moment for me. And honestly, the plant has been more loyal than most relatives.”
New Green Bonds
The beauty of the plant rakhi trend lies in its simplicity, and how easy it is to make it your own. Some tie one rakhi on their sibling and one on a tree; others do away with human wrists altogether and focus on their green babies. Some use seed paper rakhis that sprout into herbs; others make DIY cotton-thread versions with old buttons and fabric scraps.
Every year during Rakhi Poornima, as shops fill with shiny threads and sweet boxes, a small, quiet ritual unfolds in Visakhapatnam’s public parks and roadside verges. A modest group of locals—armed not with gift bags but cotton rakhis—walk among the trees, tying threads around trunks that have stood sentinel over the city for decades. There are no selfies, no frills, no loud declarations. Just a simple, collective act of gratitude.
What ties everyone together (pun intended) is the growing desire to make celebrations meaningful, not just photo-worthy. “Festivals don’t have to be wasteful,” Ekta says. “You can hold on to the emotions while letting go of the glitter and plastic.”
Wrap-Around Time
So, this Raksha Bandhan, if you see a marigold-threaded rakhi swaying from a neem tree or tied delicately around a money plant, don’t be confused. It’s not a prank. It’s a quiet act of love—for siblings, yes, but also for the only home we all share: Earth!