Students of DAV Public School show off huge rakhis made by them. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 10: The day dedicated to the sweet relationship between brothers and their sisters was celebrated with much enthusiasm all across the state.

Women from all age groups were seen shopping for different types of rakhis for the past three weeks. However, some waited till the day of the festival to pick the best rakhi for their brothers.

The kiosk owners, too, did not disappoint with their collection. While brothers flaunted their rakhis, the sisters were delighted with the gifts they received.

The little girls picked rakhis having popular cartoon characters such as Bal Ganesha, Bal Hanuman, Doraemon, Angry Birds and Despicable Me. The grown ups, however, splurged on rakhis studded with gems and sequins.

The price of rakhis started from Rs 25 at roadside kiosks and went up to Rs. 2,500 at jewellery stores.

Packets that offer items such as sandalwood, vermilion, rice along with the pious thread were also available at the kiosks. “Every year, there are a section of women who wait till the last day hoping to get discounts. We made some profit this morning as well,” said Sanjay, who has set up his kiosk at Satya Nagar.

Students of Vidwan Concept School tie rakhis on trees and pledge to protect them at Indira Gandhi Park in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Simultaneously, celebrating the birthday of Lord Balaram, Goddess Subhadra tied rakhis on the wrist of her brothers – Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra at the Puri Jagannath temple.

The temple administration and servitors ensured that the rituals went off smoothly. Rakhi Purnima also known as Gamha Purnima, a typical Odia festival, is celebrated in some places of the state by worshipping cattle.

Cows are given a bath and rituals such as decorating them with flower garlands and applying turmeric, sandalwood and vermilion on their forehead are performed.

Some children, however, took an oath to protect a tree like their own sister and tied rakhis on them. “If we do not save trees, the world will come to an end. So, my friends and I decided to take care of trees in our locality,” said Abinash, a Class III student. Arpita Patra Banerjee, a city-based physiotherapist along with her brother Ankit, tied a rakhi to her pet dog Zeus.