Rakhi is right round the corner. It’s a time for families to renew bonds and ties. The beauty of Rakhi is that it acknowledges that we are responsible for those around us. While the original idea of a brother taking an oath of protection towards his sisters may have evolved as per the times, the sentiment continues. I am the keeper of my brother and sister, is a promise we make to ourselves when we tie the rakhi.
Families have evolved too. They now include everyone who we now consider family and not necessarily only ties of blood. So we have pet parents and pet siblings and the joy is manifold. Pet parents without human babies tie the rakhi to their pets and like typical Indian culture we have adapted the festival to our new family structure. We promise to look after our pets as they are family. It is a day to get dressed and groom our pets to look our best.
When it comes to pets it is best to take some extra care as mischief is part of their charm. If possible, have rakhis which if ingested by mistake would not be toxic or injurious. That means no tinsel or plastic however pretty they look. Rather than putting them on the paws where they would come off before the sweets are offered, tie them around the neck. They stay longer and are not so easy to access there.
Sweets made for humans aren’t always the best though in most cases a bit of a taste is an indulgence most families give in to. Pet treats could be more appropriate. More often than not, daadi makes the allowance to have them in the aarti thali as finally our pets are the ones where the rules are most lax.
At PawPurrfect we wish everyone a Happy Rakhi and look forward to wonderful pictures of rakhis tied and sweets being shared across.
The pictures of the handmade rakhis and treats we have in the article are from Amaari Petwear & Pupcake Factory. This is not a paid association. Just simply products which look like they have been made with the pets first in mind. You can order them online.
