Markets crowded but few splurge

By Anupama Yadav & Seema Prasad
NEW DELHI: Markets were crowded but the spirit of Dhanteras was missing on Tuesday. The first day of the Diwali festive season is celebrated by buying gold, silver or metal utensils as a mark of welcome to Goddess Lakshmi, but this time it was a tight-fisted welcome at best.
Shopkeepers in Chandni Chowk and Lajpat Nagar said most did only 'token' shopping.Gaurav and Priyanka, a couple, bought two non-stick pans and a steel pan from Lajpat Nagar. "I don't understand the religious significance of Dhanteras but bought these pans just for the tradition," said Gaurav, a marketing professional.
A shopkeeper at Suri Bartan Bhandar in Lajpat Nagar said shopping on Dhanteras used to stretch beyond midnight but now he packs up by 10pm. "Youngsters these days earn more but have become stingy," he said. Jewellers said festive offers failed to draw crowds this time. "People started buying jewellery three days before Dhanteras to avoid the rush, so the sale today isn't as much as expected," said a salesman at Dhirsons Jewellers.
Chandni Chowk was also packed with shoppers but not many were splurging. "Silver coins and glasses sell the most now. People do not splurge like they did earlier," said Arun, manager at Mittal Associates, a silver wholesaler.
Swati, a DU student, didn't know the religious significance of the festival but still went shopping with her parents. Anita and Manji, both homemakers, bought two bowls, spoons and a pan from Chandni Chowk. "I gifted silver coins to my children and this is just for tradition sake," Usha Gandhi, a Defence employee, said.