Dhanteras records ₹1 lakh crore in shopping:Gold and silver sales ₹60,000 crore, 25% higher than last year; Maruti sold the most cars

This year, shopping on Dhanteras set a new record. According to the All India Traders Confederation (CAIT), Indians spent around ₹1 lakh crore on Dhanteras. Gold and silver purchases played a major role in this. CAIT reported on Saturday (18 October) that sales of gold and silver alone amounted to ₹60,000 crore, which is 25% higher than last year. Dhanteras is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the Kartik month in the Hindu calendar. It is considered an auspicious time to buy gold, silver, utensils, and other items, which are symbols of prosperity. 1. Gold and silver Dhanteras sales hit ₹60,000 crore Gold and silver prices soar in 2025 This year, gold has become significantly more expensive, rising by ₹53,422, a 70.14% increase. On December 31, 2024, 10 grams of 24-carat gold cost ₹76,162, but now the same amount is priced at ₹1,29,584. Silver has also seen a sharp rise, increasing by ₹83,213, or 96.74%. At the end of 2024, one kilogram of silver was ₹86,017, and it now costs ₹1,69,230 per kilogram. 2. Utensils and Kitchen Appliances: Products worth ?15,000 crore sold Traditionally, buying copper, silver or steel items on Dhanteras is considered auspicious, which symbolizes purity and prosperity. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that reduction in GST rates and PM Narendra Modi’s campaign to promote ‘local products’ helped increase spending. They said – People are preferring Indian products, which is benefiting small traders, artisans and manufacturers. Large crowds of customers were seen on Dhanteras at traditional markets, jewelry markets and local shops as well as modern shopping malls. Panasonic Life Solutions’ Director and Head-Sales Consumer Division Sandeep Sethgal said – We saw good customer turnout since morning this Dhanteras. Large screen TVs, especially 55 inch and above, are leading the momentum. We expect around 30% growth in TV and RAC category compared to last Dhanteras. 3. Automobile: Car sales of about 8000 crores in 2 days The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has estimated sales of around 1 lakh cars. This is due to GST 2.0 reforms. There was 20-25% year-on-year growth across all categories. Total business is expected to be around 8000 crores. Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India said they expect to sell around 50,000 cars on Dhanteras. Last year, around 42 thousand cars were sold. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor India also sold around 14,000 cars, which is 20% more compared to a year ago.