Patna: Bihar witnessed a massive shopping rush on Dhanteras on Friday, as jewellery, automobile and electronics markets saw a surge in sales. Gold jewellery sales rose to around 800kg against 600kg last year, while nearly 11,000kg of silver jewellery was sold, as relatively lower prices of precious metals encouraged buyers. Automobile sales nearly doubled compared to last Dhanteras, while home appliances and electronics recorded an estimated 25%-30% growth. The two-wheeler market also grew by around 30-35%.In Patna, footfall surged after 3pm with customers thronging showrooms and dealerships. Purchases ranged from gold and silver ornaments, coins and idols to cars, electric scooters, gadgets and household appliances.Chandan Soni, president of the Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association Limited (IBJA)-Bihar, said, “Last year around 600kg gold jewellery was sold across the state, while around 900kg silver jewelleries were sold during the same period. The cut in gold and silver prices attracted the customers this year. Also, the wedding season is also ahead, leading to rise in sales.”“Gold coins, biscuits, jewelleries were sold in large number. In silver category, maximum sale was observed in coins. Several customers also bought silver fish, tortoise, idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi,” he added.Binod Kumar of the Gold Association, Bakerganj, said the local bullion market recorded a 10%-15% rise in sales.Suvesh Kumar, marketing head of an automobile company, said 1,500 cars were sold across the state in a single day, of which 750-800 were bought in Patna alone.“The demand of electric vehicle was outstanding. The EV cars were stocked out. Demand was more than the supply,” he added.Electric scooters also attracted buyers because of their lower running costs.“Electric vehicles are getting more enquiries this time. One of the main reasons is the saving in running costs. People are looking at electric scooters because the operating cost is lower compared with petrol vehicles,” said Anuj Tiwari, manager of an automobile showroom in Patliputra.According to the dealership, electric scooters are priced between Rs 1.26 lakh and Rs 1.80 lakh on-road, depending on the model and variant.Induction cooktops and steel utensils remained popular, alongside smart gadgets and household appliances.Anuj Kumar, sales head of a leading home appliances and electronics agency, said sales rose by 25-30% during Dhanteras.“Maximum number of TV, fridge and washing machines were sold across our 40 showrooms across the Patna district. Mobile phones and other gadgets were also in high demand,” he added.Retailers also cited demand ahead of the wedding season as a factor behind buying this year.
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