Urmila Matondkar breezed in and out of town on Tuesday, just to say: ?It feels nice to come to Calcutta and be part of a festival like Rakhi.?

Greetings on July 18 for a festival on August 9? And from a Bollywood star? Rakhi isn?t just about a rakhi any more. What used to be a five-minute festival till yesterday, is today an extended, month-long celebration. What used to be a traditional family affair is now stylish and even starry.

Setting the tinsel tone was Bollywood bombshell Urmila, who flew down from Mumbai to do the ribbon-cutting honours at the Rakhi Mela at Ice Skating Rink. A rakhi tied to her wrist, she cast an appreciative eye around the stalls, mostly set up by housewives, and said: ?Women off-screen do so much more than heroines like us do in movies.?

For Rakhi, women sure will do much more than before, and not just tying the thread. Being not just a bond of brotherhood any more, the thread has moved up from the wrist to shapely feminine waists and arms.

Baajubandh, haathphool and ornate key-chains make a hot style statement this festive season.

?Rakhi is no longer only about a traditional red thread that a sister ties on her brother?s wrist. Just as rakhis have undergone an innovative makeover, so has the whole celebration. It is as much a festival for the bhabi as the bhaiya now. Women love flaunting colourful and artistic rakhi accessories, matching them perfectly with their attires,? smiles Alka Bangur, president, All India Marwari Mahila Samity, hosting the three-day Rakhi Mela that Urmila unveiled.

At Nik Nish, on Camac Street, the bright rakhi-baajubandh combo is the pop pick, confirms manager Harjeet Singh, intricately embellished with sequins, beads, gold and silver meshes, and priced around Rs 125.

For the tots, trend remains the topper. So the Sania Mirza rakhi jostles with Minnie Mouse rakhi, the Superman rakhi with the soccer star rakhi. But the perfect tie-up of tradition and trend is Hanuman (picture on left by Rashbehari Das). ?The movie Hanuman has been a hit with children and they adore this little mythical hero. So, the Hanuman rakhi is a big draw,? smiles a Metro Plaza shopkeeper.