Instamart Sees 20x Surge in Premium Rakhi Demand Ahead of Raksha Bandhan 2026
As India gears up for the festive season starting with Raksha Bandhan, Instamart is seeing a sharp shift toward premium, jewellery-inspired Rakhis, with consumers moving beyond the traditional thread towards more premium and valuable keepsakes.
Premium Rakhis on Instamart have surged 20x compared to last year, with strong demand for silver designs and a spike in searches for jewellery brands like Kalyan Jewellers, Palmonas and GIVA. the overall Rakhi gifting segment may grow around 3x this year, as consumers look for gifts that combine utility, personalisation and a touch of indulgence.
That demand is showing up in what customers are choosing. Kalyan Jewellers' 925 Tripundra Trishul Rakhi and 925 Ganesh Rakhi (both 1g silver) are among the platform's top premium picks, alongside Palmonas' waterproof, anti-tarnish Divine Lotus, Divine Om and Circle of Love Rakhis. To meet this appetite, Instamart through its sellers has curated a wider premium edit spanning Swarovski, GIVA, Nestasia, Kalyan Jewellers and Palmonas, including Palmonas Rakhi featuring Shraddha Kapoor, with a complimentary Palmonas diamond affairs bracelet worth ₹3499 for free on any purchase at any Palmonas store pan-India. Customers buying Rakhis from Kalyan Jewellers on Instamart also get a 10g silver voucher* with every purchase, adding a keepsake to the traditional ritual.
Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar and Chandigarh are among the fastest-growing markets for premium Rakhis, pointing to appetite for personalised, elevated gifting spreading well beyond India's largest cities. Beyond Rakhis themselves, popular gifting categories this season include soft toys, men's bracelets, women's pendants, chocolates, men's wallets, handbags and perfume sets.
Gautam Swaroop, Chief Business Officer - Instamart, said, “As consumers’ needs, preferences and occasions continue to evolve, we’ve built Instamart to offer a broader and more differentiated selection, from everyday essentials to premium and curated products. We’re seeing strong consumer response to our premium offerings, reflecting a growing appetite for greater choice and discovery. This is at the heart of our Switch to Better proposition, as we continue to deepen these segments and make Instamart a destination that can cater to every kind of need and occasion.“
This Raksha Bandhan, Instamart offers a wide assortment of Rakhis, ranging from ₹9 to ₹999 across styles, formats and price points, with something for every sibling, from simple, everyday picks to indulgent and unique finds.
The shift toward planned, elaborate festive shopping continues this year. In 2025, Rakhi orders grew 3.5x year-on-year and Rakhi hampers grew 8x, while sweets and chocolates grew 8x and 4x, respectively, over regular days, with customers increasingly starting their Rakhi shopping several days ahead of the festival, a trend Instamart's Switch to Better feature is designed to serve with more considered, better choices this season.
