Rebounding after two pandemic-hit years there was lot of shopping this Danteras. While the bullion markets glitters after two years, automobile dealers witnessed bumper sale of two- and four-wheelers during the auspicious Dhanteras this year.
On Saturday, on Dhanteras, there was a lot of shopping in the automobile sector in Ranchi. Customers stood outside the showroom since morning to pick up the vehicle. In Ranchi, a BMW X Seven car worth Rs 1. 38 crore was sold on Dhanteras. Also, BMW's S 1000 two wheeler motorcycle worth Rs 23 lakh were sold. Maruti Suzuki once again recorded maximum sale of cars. About four thousand cars were sold in Ranchi.
According to the information, more than ten thousand Maruti cars have been booked by customers. Jeevan Kumar of Premsons Motor said that there was a long queue of customers outside the showroom for delivery from 5 am onwards. This year, 60 percent more cars have been sold in the market. At the same time, the showroom people lost their sweat in delivering the car. The main reason for this is that a large number of customers had to take delivery of vehicles on the day of Dhanteras itself. Due to the increase in the number of simultaneous customers, there was a lot of delay in delivery. Apart from this, a lot of crowd was seen in the showrooms of Mahindra, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota for car delivery. This year also the mini hatchback in the market was the most demanding vehicles of a segment compact hatchback.
The jewellery stores, which conventionally records bumper sales on Dhanteras and Diwali, reported good sales this year as well.
"Following two consecutive years of the Covid-19 pandemic, small and moderate jewellery stores were eagerly waiting for this Dhanteras. The sales are encouraging and the final picture will emerge on the Diwali day," said proprietor of a reputable jewellery store in the city.
Two-day pre-Diwali Dhanteras buying of gold and silver began on a positive note on Saturday with some big jewellers and an industry body anticipating a further pickup in demand by Sunday and up to 20 per cent higher sales than the last year. High gold prices have not deterred consumers from buying on Dhanteras, which is considered the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar for buying items ranging from precious metals to utensils, to other valuables.
On Saturday, gold prices were ruling at Rs 50,139 per 10 grams, excluding taxes, in the national capital, much higher than Rs 47,644 per 10 grams on Dhanteras day in 2021. Normally, 20-30 tonnes of gold is sold on a Dhanteras day. "As this year Dhanteras is spread over the weekend, we expect the momentum to increase towards evening and tomorrow," said a jewelry shop owner in Ranchi.
There was also sale of cooking utensil this year. This year, the sales of electronic items such as flat-screen televisions, mobile phones, noise-cancelling headphones and speakers are on the rise, owing to the attractive offers provided by various brands during the festive season. Alongside, PlayStations are also one of the most sought-after products in the market.
Caption: Dhanterash_1 : People shop at Church road market ahead of the Diwali festival in Ranchi on Sunday. Pix by Ratan Lal
Dhanterash_2 : People shop at a jewelry shop ahead of the Diwali festival in Ranchi on Sunday. Pix by Ratan Lal