Think of Indian festivities, and your mind is flooded with colourful visuals of homes and streets, all decorated to celebrate in as grand a way as possible. Apart from all the colour, another element you’ll always find as part of celebrations in India is gold. The metal has been considered auspicious in the country for centuries now, becoming an important part of weddings, festivals and notable family celebrations.
Dhanteras is an auspicious occasion celebrated a day before Diwali to encourage wealth and prosperity for all. "Dhan" stands for wealth and "teras" is the 13th day of a lunar fortnight on the Hindu calendar. For this reason, people around the country purchase gold and silver in large quantities on this day, during a specific time window, as a sign of good luck. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, good fortune, power, beauty and prosperity is also worshiped with wishes pouring in for wealth in abundance for each one and their loved ones.
Here, we explain five reasons why gold is an integral part of Indian culture and loved by people around the country.
- In India, the metal gold symbolises wealth. Purchasing and owning gold is seen as a sign of wealth and is also a status symbol, standing for power and prosperity. This is also why gold is often a part of weddings, with both families including it as part of gifts to each other, celebrating the union of two families.
- Buying gold on occasions like Akshaya Tritiya (especially for those who practice Hinduism), Dhanteras and Diwali signifies more wealth and financial gain in the coming future, making it a significant part of our culture. Jewellers nationwide make use of this opportunity to offer customers deals and promotions on gold purchases.
- Dhanteras also has a notable connection to Ayurveda. It is believed that Lord Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of health and an incarnation of Lord Vishnu brought Ayurveda and the nectar of immortality to mankind on this day. Since 2016, every Dhanteras is also celebrated as Ayurveda Day. Gold ash is used as part of Ayurvedic concoctions and gold flakes are used in skincare blends for their skin brightening, rejuvenating and youth-boosting properties. Our 24k Gold Radiance Beauty Boosting Elixir is one of our best-sellers, harnessing the potent powers of this precious metal, to give your skin a radiant glow.
- Gold is also considered to be a good investment in India and people from around the country purchase it in the form of coins, bars and jewellery to pass along to the next generation. Mothers often gift their gold jewellery to their daughters as heirloom pieces when they get married.
- Additionally, gold is considered to be a signifier for purity and light, the colour of the sun and representing a divine glow and the human soul. In fact, gold jewellery is also associated with royalty — kings and queens alike are known to wear large quantities of gold in the form of accessories, establishing their power.
This Dhanteras and Diwali, give yourself the gift of gold, whether that may be through precious jewellery or luxurious skincare.
