Raj Sadosh/Abohar.
The Organic Farmers Producer Association of India has taken a unique initiative. The women's wing of the organization received orders to export herbal Rakhis made from cow dung seeds on Raksha Bandhan, symbolizing the sacred relationship of brother and sister to the overseas Indians.
NGO spokesman Dr Atul Gupta said that the order for 40,000 Rakhis from America, 20,000 from Mauritius were booked. Apart from this, Rakhis made of cow dung are also being sold at about 250 places in India.
National President of Jaipur based NGO's Women's unit Sangeeta Gaur said that this year Rakhis made from cow dung will be the center of attraction not only in the country but also abroad. Only indigenous cow dung was being used to prepare Rakhis. Meaningful efforts will be made to protect the cows from the income from the Rakhis.
Along with the manufacture of Rakhis, women of Hahnemann Charitable Mission Society's women self-help group will also become self-reliant by getting employment. People will also get rid of Chinese and other Rakhis that pollute the environment with their hazardous contents. Apart from this, from the point of view of science, tying a Rakhi made of cow dung on the hand will also provide protection from radiation.Monica Gupta says that people have strong reverence for cows, so Rakhis are being made from cow dung and medicinal seeds. Its dung is dried thoroughly in the sun, due to which the smell of dung goes away up to 95 percent. After this, fine powder of dry cow dung is mixed with organic Jatamansi powder, cow's native ghee, turmeric, white clay and sandalwood.
Monica Gupta says that people have strong reverence for cows, so Rakhis are being made from cow dung and medicinal seeds. Its dung is dried thoroughly in the sun, due to which the smell of dung goes away up to 95 percent. After this, fine powder of dry cow dung is mixed with organic Jatamansi powder, cow's native ghee, turmeric, white clay and sandalwood.
Lastly, the powder of guar pods is mixed with water and the whole mixture is kneaded like a dough. No chemical substances are used in the whole process. She said that most of the people take off the Rakhis and throw them here and there after a few days. Rakhi, a symbol of brother and sister's love, gets dumped in garbage then.
In cow dung based Rakhis, seeds including Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Kalmegh are being put in the Rakhi that can be put in the lawn, it will rekindle the memories of the sacred relationship of brother and sister by growing the seeds filled inside the Rakhi.