Dubai: With Dhanteras and Diwali round the corner, the festive spirit has gripped the Indian community in Dubai.
Heralding the festival of lights, decorative lightings adorn rows of apartments in Bur Dubai, Al Karama and other areas where Indians live in large numbers.
Jewellery outlets in the city are already flooded with pre-orders for gold ornaments and coins as tens of thousands of Hindus will be rushing to buy gold on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras this weekend.
Almost 80 per cent of customers make a booking for gold at least two weeks in advance, according to Sanjay Jethwani and Vinay Jethwani, managing directors of Meena Jewellers.
They said such customers select their designs and make an advance payment to avoid the rush on the day of Dhanteras.
Shamlal Ahamed M.P., managing director, International Operations - Malabar Gold and Diamonds, said customers also make advance bookings to avail of the benefits offered by gold outlets.
“We have a special offer for pre-booking for Dhanteras. For example, if the gold price on the day they book is Dh150, and if it is above that on the day they come to buy, they don’t have to pay that extra amount. At the same, if it goes below Dh150, we will sell it for that lower rate.”
Buying gold on Dhanteras is considered to bring good luck, said Neha Vohra, who is from New Delhi.
“Usually, the head of the family, in my case my dad, buys gold and gifts for all in the members in our joint family. Earlier, parents used to buy gifts. Today, everybody’s choice is different. So, we get to choose our favourite design. Since kids do not fancy gold these days, we gift them cash or electronic items that they love.”
For Vohra, a former banking official, this festive season is extra special as she is venturing into a new business this month.
“With Navratri, Dhanteras and Diwali falling this month, I decided to start the new business,” she said.
Sanjivani Sujay Patil, from Mumbai, said it is a tradition for all members of the family to gather for prayers with the gold gifts and have breakfast together on Dhanteras. But she will miss her children living in Canada this time.
“I have already selected the gold to gift my children and granddaughter. I will buy them on Dhanteras and take it with me when I visit them next month.”
House decorations and colourful floor patterns called rangoli are also part of the celebrations. “We light lanterns on our balconies on Dhanteras and make rangolis in different colours for Diwali. Sanskar Bharti rangoli is in trend for Diwali,” she said.
Sweet delicacies
Traditionally, a variety of sweets are also made to offer during the prayers and to share with relatives and friends.
“We make sweets and savoury snacks at home and offer it to God,” said Patil, whose family owns a food trading company in Dubai.
Diwali is also an occasion when almost everyone in the community develops a sweet tooth as buying and gifting sweet boxes is an integral part of the celebration.
“Traditional sweets are the most important Diwali delicacies,” said Pankaj Agarwal, director of Bikanervala.
According to him, sweet shops here record 300 to 400 per cent hike in sales during Diwali season and around 50 to 60 tonnes of Indian sweets are sold across Dubai during this season.
“We are already booked for the entire season. Big corporate companies start booking more than one month before. Smaller companies book a couple of weeks before Diwali and families usually come and buy sweets in the last three days,” explained Agarwal.
Diwali
Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights and it celebrates the victory of good over evil
This year Diwali falls on Sunday, October 30
Dhanteras
The festival of Dhanteras is celebrated two days before Diwali
It symbolises a shower of good luck, wealth, and prosperity
