Rakhi rush chokes city markets, packs trains, buses
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Jaipur: City markets, bus stands, and railway stations were overwhelmed with festive crowds on Friday as women in large numbers shopped for glittering Rakhis ahead of
Raksha Bandhan
, which falls Saturday.
The Walled City's busy lanes — from Maniharon Ka Raasta and Johari Bazaar to Chandpole Bazaar — were packed from morning till night, with shoppers buying Rakhis, gifts, and sweets for their brothers.
Tradition and variety kept the markets buzzing. "There are so many metallic Rakhis this year. I have been visiting the walled city since childhood with my mother, and now I'm here with my daughter," said Satita Lalwani, a housewife from Malviya Nagar.
The festival extends to sisters-in-law also.
"It is customary to tie a Rakhi to sisters-in-law as well. We carry sweets for the entire family — nephews and nieces included," said Asha Rani, 28, from Shyam Nagar, who was picking out gifts at Chandpole Bazaar.
The festival rush was equally visible at Sindhi Camp bus stand, where passengers queued for services to Bharatpur, Agra, Kota and Delhi. Most buses were fully booked.
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"We have run 25% additional services to manage the Raksha Bandhan rush," said an RSRTC official. Private buses also reported full occupancy, with latecomers struggling to find seats.
At Jaipur railway station, incoming and outgoing trains were packed, with waiting lists stretching long. Many without confirmed reservations boarded anyway, risking penalties. "I applied for reservation but it was not confirmed.
The journey is unavoidable, so we took the risk," said a passenger boarding the Puja Express to Delhi Cantt with family.
The congestion is being fuelled by the extended holiday stretch, with Independence Day and Janmashtami falling in the following week. Traders expect brisk business to continue through the weekend, while transport officials brace for sustained passenger traffic.
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