Instamart Sees Nearly 300% Surge in Rakhi Orders, Premium Gifting Rises
Instamart sees nearly 300% YoY surge in Rakhi orders as premium gifting takes centre stage, with designer rakhis, gold coins, smartwatches and luxury hampers driving demand.
Raksha Bandhan gifting is moving beyond traditional sweets and threads, with consumers increasingly opting for premium rakhis, smartwatches and curated gift hampers, according to Instamart’s Rakhi Trends 2026 report.
The quick-commerce platform recorded nearly 300% year-on-year growth in rakhi orders during the festive period this year. Demand for premium designer rakhis rose 130%, signalling a shift towards higher-value gifting during the festival.
The Rakhi rush reached its peak at 12:01 pm on August 28, when Instamart recorded as many as 857 rakhis ordered per minute, driven by last-minute festive shopping.
While demand for chocolates and mithai increased by 30% each compared with the week preceding Raksha Bandhan, several premium and non-traditional gifting categories recorded sharper growth. Gift hampers rose 85% week-on-week, while smartwatch orders increased by 99%.
From traditional threads to premium rakhis
Precious-metal designs emerged as a key trend during this year’s Raksha Bandhan celebrations. Silver and gold-plated rakhis were among the most sought-after products, including designs that can be converted into pendants.
Demand was also strong for 925 sterling silver rakhis featuring Trishul and Surya motifs. Lumba rakhis, traditionally exchanged with sisters-in-law, also saw a spike in demand, with Swarovski-studded variants accounting for two of the top three products in the category.
In the run-up to Raksha Bandhan, Hyderabad recorded the highest number of rakhi orders, followed by Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Gurgaon, Noida, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Vizag.
Unusual orders highlight festive spending
Instamart’s data also highlighted several high-value and unusually large orders during Rakhi week.
A Bengaluru customer placed the first rakhi order of the week at 12:00:11 am on August 21, purchasing a Ganesha with Beads Rakhi. In Mumbai, one customer ordered 118 rakhis in a single cart on August 27.
Bengaluru also recorded the week’s highest-value rakhi-only purchase, with a customer buying five 24KT gold coin rakhis worth ₹10,995. In Gurgaon, another shopper purchased 20 premium silver rakhis for ₹10,780 in a single order.
A Hyderabad customer purchased 109 different rakhis for ₹9,790, with the order spanning Batman-themed kids’ bands, Swarovski lumbas and traditional Rudraksha rakhis.
The largest overall Raksha Bandhan basket came from Gurgaon, where a customer placed a ₹14,630 order containing gold coin rakhis, luxury skincare products, artisanal chocolates and plush toys.
Instamart said the growing preference for higher-end festive gifting is aligned with Switch, its platform-wide proposition focused on offering consumers greater access to premium, differentiated food and non-food products.
The trends suggest that while traditional rakhis and sweets remain central to Raksha Bandhan, quick commerce is increasingly becoming a channel for more premium and diverse festive purchases.
