Akshaya Tritiya and the aggressive jewellery marketing campaigns around it set me thinking about the origins of this festival (and another that is very similar -- dhanteras).
According to tradition, some metal (usually in the form of jewellery) bought on these festivals leads to prosperity. It is quite likely that the original intent was to encourage saving on a regular basis in what was possibly the only investment instrument available in the yesteryear -- gold.
Fast forward to the present where it is now superstition that makes people buy gold at exorbitant rates on those days, believing that any other time of gold purchase will not bring as much "luck".
Of course, there is no dearth of jewellery stores who specially hike rates on those days and make a killing...
According to tradition, some metal (usually in the form of jewellery) bought on these festivals leads to prosperity. It is quite likely that the original intent was to encourage saving on a regular basis in what was possibly the only investment instrument available in the yesteryear -- gold.
Fast forward to the present where it is now superstition that makes people buy gold at exorbitant rates on those days, believing that any other time of gold purchase will not bring as much "luck".
Of course, there is no dearth of jewellery stores who specially hike rates on those days and make a killing...
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