Metropolis customers splurge on gold, automobiles & devices this Dhanteras

Kolkata: Kolkata’s festive temper reached its peak on Saturday, in addition to on Sunday, as Dhanteras despatched customers streaming into jewelry shops, automotive showrooms and electronics shops.

From gold and silver to dwelling home equipment and luxurious automobiles, demand touched new highs, making this one of the crucial lively buying days town has seen in years.

The slim lanes of Burrabazar and Satyanarayan Park bustled with folks shopping for Lakshmi-Ganesh idols, utensils and new ledgers—customary purchases for the day that marks the onset of Diwali. By afternoon, the frenzy had unfold to Gariahat, Camac Street and Ballygunge Phari, the place visitors moved at a snail’s tempo as keen prospects crowded jewelry shops and circled for parking.

Jewellers reported a gradual stream of consumers via the day regardless of the excessive worth of gold. According to market estimates, the value of 10 gm of 24-carat gold hovered round Rs 1.27 lakh, roughly 55–60 per cent increased than final 12 months. Even so, shops mentioned gross sales volumes had been up, pushed by each festive sentiment and funding considerations.

The upcoming wedding ceremony season additionally boosted heavy jewelry gross sales, whereas youthful customers gravitated in direction of light-weight and minimalist designs in gold, silver and diamond. Platinum items and males’s equipment resembling chains and bracelets additionally noticed a noticeable improve in demand.

Automobile dealerships skilled an equally robust turnout, with many reporting file automobile deliveries scheduled for the day. Several consumers had pre-booked automobiles weeks upfront to take supply on Dhanteras, which is taken into account an auspicious day for brand spanking new purchases. Dealers mentioned the current alternative demand following September’s flooding—which broken lots of of automobiles—and engaging festive provides collectively fuelled the surge. Electronics retailers had been additionally overwhelmed. Large-format shops in south and central Kolkata recorded as much as 30 per cent increased gross sales than final 12 months, with air-conditioners, televisions and dishwashers among the many most sought-after gadgets. Some shops even opened sooner than traditional to handle the heavy footfall. With Dhanteras persevering with into Sunday morning, retailers throughout sectors anticipated complete gross sales to climb one other 15 to 25 per cent, signalling a sturdy begin to the festive and wedding ceremony season in Kolkata’s markets.