Karnataka: Coronavirus lockdown shatter Akshaya Tritiya dreams

Many women in the district could not realise their dream of buying gold on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on Sunday due to the closure of jewelry outlets as part of lockdown.

This Akshaya Tritiya did not prove to be a profitable one either for jewelry merchants. Though reputed showrooms have the online facility to sell jewels, there is prohibition to sell the gold and gold bars.

About 100 jewel outlets on Gangamma Gudi have been shut down for the last one month. Business worth Rs 5 crore would be transacted on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. This year, there was no transaction at all.

People have postponed their plans to buy gold and jewels for social events and weddings which has landed merchants in trouble, according to merchants.

“People would buy the gold based on their economic capacity. Middle class people would buy nose rings, while the rich purchased chains and necklaces. I could not open my outlet due to lockdown this year,” Kiran, owner of Naveen Jewelers, said.

Naveen said that customers would finalise designs of the jewels in advance and buy them on Akshaya Tritiya. Covid-19 shattered dreams of many women. Merchants could not take orders as the lockdown was imposed a month ago.