Gaiety marks raksha bandhan

It was boom time for those selling rakhis in make-shift kiosks, including on roadsides. Many of them reported brisk business, especially in Begum Bazaar, Chikkadpally, Badi Chowdi and Regimental Bazaar. Sweet houses reported good business this year.

Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka called on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and tied a rakhi to him. Several political leaders and celebrities took part in the festival.

Dilpreet Singh Bagga and Gurpreet Bagga, who run eateries across Secunderabad, said, “It seemed like Raksha Bandhan get-togethers for many large families of brothers and sisters. Vegetarian lunches and dinners were booked in advance.”

Radhika Bang, a resident of Secunderabad, said, “On this day we make special dishes for our brothers. It’s a special bond, which can’t be described in mere words. The cuisines I learn throughout the year are the dishes I showcase on this auspicious day. This time it was theme-based rakhis and we opted for a traditional south Indian variety.”

Adesh Kumar Tiwari, a businessman, said: “both my sisters are married; one stays in Ayodhya and the other at Nashik. They have posted rakhis, which was tied by my cousins. We celebrated the day as we used to in our childhood.”