The auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan is around the corner and the demand for rakhis has skyrocketed in Odisha. Makeshift rakhi stalls have come up all over the state, especially in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
Gone are the days when rakhis were just spongy and shimmery bracelets. People are experimenting with materials and motifs, customising minute details, and making Raksha Bandhan a more inclusive affair.
Amid the various range of Rakhis available in the market, a new trend of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Rakhis have gripped the residents of Twin City. A trader from Chauliaganj in Cuttack has been making waves by coming up with AI Rakhis that are in huge demand in the market now.
Inspired by OTV’s AI news anchor Lisa, trader Ishwar Sahoo who rose to fame with Covid-19 Rakhi, Combo Rakhi, and Rakhis with printed digital photos during the pandemic last year, decided to come up with AI rakhis this year.
“Recently, Odisha Television Network (OTV) unveiled ‘Lisa’, India’s first regional AI news anchor. Lisa’s introduction marked a groundbreaking moment in TV broadcasting and journalism. The craze for Lisa is so much that I came up with the idea of AI rakhis,” quipped Ishwar Sahoo when asked about his source of inspiration.
“The AI rakhis come with a QR code that has a message or video for their brothers or sisters. These rakhis will be very helpful for those who are far away from their brothers or sisters. The sisters can send the QR code to their brothers who can see the video or hear the audio just by scanning it,” he added.
“Earlier, rakhis sent through couriers would not reach the brothers on time. So, there is a huge demand for these rakhis now and I’m happy that people are loving the new trend,” he added.
Interestingly, these rakhis are not too expensive but cost only Rs 100.
“I do not want to put a price tag on these rakhis. I want the technology to reach the people and spread words on the advancement of technology,” he further stated.
Worth mentioning, Ishwar had come up with Covid rakhi kit at Rs 270 that included a mask, rakhi with either the brother’s image on it or whatever photo the customer chooses to print on it, a sanitizer, rice, vermillion, secret key chain and a greeting card.
He also made combo rakhi that included a rakhi and a mask at Rs 90 and rakhi with a digital photo priced at Rs 60.