10 Fun Games to Celebrate Raksha Bandhan With Your Siblings in the UAE
Raksha Bandhan is around the corner, and if you're an Indian family in the UAE, you know the Rakhi ritual by heart—tie the thread, take the sweets, promise to protect each other for life. But once the rakhi is on the wrist and the mithai box is empty, what's next? That's where a good game night comes in.
Whether your siblings are right there with you in Dubai, or you're tying a rakhi over video call to a brother or sister back home in India, here are 10 games that make this Raksha Bandhan one to remember—plus a few ideas for the siblings who can't be in the same room.
1. Raja Mantri Chor Sipahi
If you grew up playing this with your siblings on a lazy Sunday afternoon, this is the ultimate nostalgia trip. Simple to explain, impossible to stop playing, and perfect for a big desi family gathered around a Dubai living room after the rakhi ceremony.
2. Bollywood Rummy
Every desi family has that one sibling who takes card games way too seriously. Bollywood Rummy gives you all the drama of a classic card game night with a filmy twist—ideal for cousins and siblings settling old scores.
3. Desi Feud
Split into Team Bhai and Team Behen and go head-to-head, Family Feud-style, on everything desi. Great for bigger gatherings when you've got aunties, uncles, and cousins joining the celebration in the UAE.
4. Filmi Mafia
A social deduction game with a Bollywood twist—perfect for when the whole extended family is over and you need something that keeps everyone, from teenage cousins to chachas, equally invested.
5. Antakshari (Bollywood Edition)
No Rakhi celebration is complete without a round of Antakshari. Split into two teams, pick a starting letter, and let the sibling rivalry play out through old-school Bollywood songs instead of board pieces.
6. Ludo
The most classic sibling rivalry game there is. Someone will flip the board when they get sent home from four squares away—it's basically a Rakhi tradition at this point.
7. Carrom
If your family has a carrom board tucked away, Raksha Bandhan is the perfect excuse to dust it off. Brother vs sister carrom matches are a rite of passage in most Indian households, wherever in the world you're celebrating.
8. Bollywood Dumb Charades
Split into teams and get acting. If you need a ready list of movie names to use, check out our guide to 50 Bollywood movies for dumb charades—it's the perfect companion for a Rakhi game night.
9. Cricket Champions
For the siblings who'd rather be talking cricket than playing board games, this one bridges the gap. A great pick for brothers and sisters to argue about their favourite teams and players, minus the actual bat and ball.
10. For Siblings Apart: A Virtual Rakhi Game Night
If your sibling is back home in India while you're in the UAE, Rakhi doesn't have to mean missing out. Tie the rakhi over a video call, then keep the call running for an online game—Kahoot trivia, Scrabble GO, or even a shared playlist-guessing round work brilliantly across the distance and keep the celebration going well past the ceremony itself.
How to Make Your Rakhi Game Night Extra Special
- Start with the ritual: Tie the rakhi, exchange gifts, and get the sweets out before the games begin—let the tradition set the mood.
- Mix generations: Pick games like Antakshari and Desi Feud that work whether you're 8 or 80, so the whole family can join in.
- Keep score across the day: Turn it into a mini tournament between siblings and cousins, with bragging rights on the line until next Rakhi.
- Take a family photo: Between rounds, capture the chaos—these are the pictures you'll want to look back on.
- End on something calm: After all the competitive games, wind the night down with a round of Antakshari or just old family stories over dessert.
However you're celebrating this Raksha Bandhan in the UAE—whether it's a full house in Dubai or a rakhi tied over video call—the games are just an excuse to spend real time with the people who've known you the longest.
Looking for the perfect game to bring to this year's celebration? Explore Desi Board Games and find your family's new Rakhi tradition, delivered anywhere in the UAE.
