How to choose a rakhi he will actually keep on

There is a quiet truth about Raksha Bandhan that nobody says out loud: most rakhis are off the wrist by lunch. Not out of disrespect — they itch, they snag on shirt cuffs, or the thread is stiff enough to leave a mark.

If you want yours to last past the photographs, the thread matters more than the stone. Silk and cotton-silk blends sit flat and soften with wear. Synthetic zari looks brilliant in a photo and feels like wire by evening.

Match the piece to the life. Someone who types all day does not want a raised kundan cluster catching on a laptop edge — an oxidised nazar bead or a flat sterling motif works far better. For a brother who works outdoors, weight and durability beat delicacy.

Consider what happens on the 10th. The rakhis people keep are the ones that stop looking like rakhis: a sterling Om that comes off the cord and becomes a pendant, a rudraksha that reads as a bracelet. A great many of our silver pieces are bought precisely for this reason.

For children, ignore all of the above and buy the one that lights up. It will be worn for four days straight and then lost, which is exactly the correct outcome.

Finally: buy the size down, not up. A rakhi that sits snug reads as jewellery. One that slides around reads as a party favour.