New Delhi: What if a rakhi could do more than just be a thread around a man’s wrist? In Surat, a group is making rakhis from cow dung and urine, claiming the unusual creation can help “defeat China” because, as one seller says in a viral video, “gobar radiation ko rokta hai”. Cow dung blocks radiation.
The biodegradable rakhis are being made by a team in Surat and delivered across India. The initiative is part of the makers’ larger campaign to have the cow declared “Rashtra Mata” (Mother of the Nation).
The rakhis are made using cow dung and urine, and have a wooden base carrying slogans around the protection of “gaumata”. In a video of the process, workers can be seen flattening cow dung into small discs, decorating them with beads and other trinkets, and attaching colourful threads to turn them into rakhis.
The makers say their aim is not just to offer an eco-friendly alternative to conventional rakhis, but also to encourage more people to join the “Gau Mata Aahwan Abhiyan”. The campaign seeks to build public support for their demand that the government grant the animal the status of “Rashtra Mata”.
Not the first time
The makers’ claim about cow dung and radiation quickly became meme fodder on social media.
China, its over bro🙏 https://t.co/wIIPmFkQZ2
— Buffalo Intellectual (@ProfRavikantK) August 28, 2026
“China recently held an Olympic for robots, just saying,” wrote X user Kabiran.
Others have called out what they describe as the spread of misinformation and unscientific claims about cow dung blocking radiation. Some questioned what could come next.
“Next gobar ka mangal sutra, gobar ka sindoor,” a tweet said.
This is not the first time cow dung rakhis have gone viral. Last year, similar rakhis made by women in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, drew attention online. Those rakhis were dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and were linked by their makers to women’s safety and respect following Operation Sindoor.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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