Strings of beads and stones in every possible colour decorate the corners of the shops in the 3rd Bhoiwada lane in Bhuleshwar. Women out to tick off their daily list of chores carefully pick from handmade rakhis displayed at almost all the bead and latkan stores ahead of the festival.

While rakhis might be seasonal business for some, for 72-year-old Shyamlal Patwa, it's been one of the main sources of income for his family of 60 members who reside at Matunga Labour Camp. The Patwa community, he tells us, are known for their "karigari" of threaded products. This includes making tassels; gonda which is used in blouses, chappals, and for tying plaits; and making dori for jewellery.