A large number of people were noticed crowding into the jewellery shops across Agartala as they flocked mainly to buy precious metals during Dhanteras on Monday.
Dipali Roy, a customer who had to wait for more than an hour to get her purchase said, “Dhanteras is considered as one of the most auspicious gold-buying days in the year, and so people continued the tradition and moreover, they did not want to leave the chance of flat discount over all jewellery during this festival time.”
However, the customers viewed that in spite of the huge gathering at the jewellery shops and which is time-consuming, they had bought mainly gold ornaments during Dhanteras, comparatively a new festival in the region and recently adopted from northern and central India.
Meantime, Arpita Saha, owner of one of the oldest renowned jewellery house in the region expressed satisfaction over the boost in the sales on Monday.
Dhanteras is celebrated as the first day of the Hindu festival Dipawali. Diwali is one of the most celebrated Hindu festivals.
On Dhanteras, people offer prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Literally, Dhanteras means ‘dhan‘ or wealth, ‘teras‘, the 13th day of the moon cycle.
It is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) in the Vikram Sambat Hindu calendar month of Aaswayuja in the Amaavasyanta Luni-Solar Calendar.