Things may be gloomy in the market, but when it comes Bhau Beej, brothers have no alternative. They have to shell out money to buy gifts for their sisters.
As Diwali draws near its finale, brothers are gearing up for Bhau Beej. For Prasad Upadhye, an IT professional from Bandra, the festival has changed over the years. “I have three sisters, two of them cousins. They are all married. My sister stays in Bangalore while the cousins are married in UK and US. I have to either buy and send them gifts or wait for them to come,” said Upadhye.
However, with changing preferences, the gifts have modified too. Getting a new-age gift has become a challenging task.
While some have to wait for a surprise gift, others get to choose. “I asked my sister what she would like on Bhau Beej this time between diamond ear-rings and an 80 GB i-pod, she chose the latter,” said Sumeet Sharma, a software engineer.
Travelling and office needs of working women have had the largest influence on changing preferences.
“I have but three cousins. Last year, I got them bangles, but this year I’ve decided to buy them stationery like planners and diaries which are useful to them,” said Aditya Khandekar, a management professional.
Although sisters love traditional jewellery and clothes, electronics items are a welcome change. “All these years, I have been getting clothes, jewellery and perfumes, but I would really like to get some electronics this time,” said Niketa Purandare, a marketing professional.
Purandare, who is hoping for a digital camera, also feels that brothers need to keep track of changing preferences. However, there are some like Roshnee Parekh who says the best thing to get is liquid cash. “ I can buy what ever I want,” she says.
