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Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Gold sales shine on Akshaya Tritiya despite high prices
Jewellers across the city reported a strong response from buyers this Akshaya Tritiya, with many customers turning up early to purchase gold and silver, undeterred by rising prices. Rohit Mehta, 64-year-old manager at Mehta Jewels, said, 'This Akshaya Tritiya, we've seen a very positive response. Customers have been coming in since morning, and many are buying both gold and silver, especially coins and light jewellery. The festive mood is strong, and with gold prices high—24-carat is at Rs 96,250 and 22-carat around Rs 88,600—people are still investing with faith. It's tradition and trust that drive these purchases, not just price.' Sunita Deshmukh, a 48-year-old customer at Mehta Jewels, said, 'Every year, we buy a small gold coin or jewellery on Akshaya Tritiya—it's something we never miss. Even if prices are high, it feels lucky, and it's our way of saving for the future too.' Vivek Kulkarni, sales head at Anandi Jewellers, said, 'Compared to last year, we're seeing more footfall today. Most customers are buying lightweight pieces or coins. Some are going for small investment bars as well. Silver items, especially coins, are also in demand.' Jewellers said the day remained busy, and purchases were steady throughout. Traditional buyers and those purchasing for weddings contributed significantly to the sales. Fatehchand Ranka, owner of Ranka Jewellers, said, 'There hasn't been any change in customer buying trends. In fact, this year's gold purchases have surpassed last year's. We've observed a stronger buying pattern overall. Many are buying bullion in keeping with Marathi traditions, along with jewellery, whether heavy or lightweight. Sales have been far better than expected.' Omkar Shinde from PNG Exclusive said, 'Purchases are being made out of tradition. Customers are primarily opting for lightweight jewellery and bullion, and the flow of buyers has remained steady.' Atul Ashtekar, partner at KRA Jewellers, said, 'Besides gold, silver coins and bullion are also seeing good demand. Gold is being purchased mainly from an investment perspective, and with the wedding season approaching, there's been a rise in customised jewellery orders. The current rates are Rs 96,203 for 24-carat gold, Rs 88,583 for 22-carat gold, and Rs 19,200 for silver bullion.'
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Maha sees record April temperatures, city logs season's hottest day at 43.2°C
Pune: It's just April, but intense heat has already set in, with Lohegaon recording its hottest day of the season at 43.2°C on Tuesday, while Shivajinagar's temperature too hit 41.2°C, tying its second-highest April temperature, a mark it previously reached on April 16. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Across Maharashtra, Chandrapur in Vidarbha continued its reign as hottest spot, with the mercury climbing to 45.8°C on Tuesday, up from Monday's 45.6°C. The Vidarbha region remained a virtual furnace with Brahmapuri recording 45.2°C, followed by Akola (44.8°C) and Amravati (44.4°C). "The highest day temperature for the season in Shivajinagar remains 41.3°C, recorded on April 8 this year, indicating that the summer of 2025 is turning out to be particularly harsh, " an expert from the blog, Vagaries of Weather, said. According to IMD, Lohegaon's maximum temperature at 43.2°C was 5 degrees above normal on Tuesday, while Shivajinagar's was 3 degrees higher than normal. Other parts of Maharashtra also witnessed soaring temperatures with Jalgaon and Malegaon both recording 42.8°C, Solapur hitting 43.4°C and Dharashiv reaching 42.5°C. Even coastal areas offered little respite, with Mumbai (Colaba) registering 33.9°C. "The past few days have been unbearable. I've lived in Pune for over 30 years and this April seems to be one of the hottest," Kothrud resident Sunita Deshmukh said, adding, "My power bill has doubled due to constant airconditioner use." Working professional Rahul Kalra, who recently moved to Pune, said, "I am shocked at the intensity of the heat. I was told Pune was pleasant year-round. This feels more like Delhi's summer." IMD-Pune scientist SD Sanap said "There's an anticyclonic circulation over most of Maharashtra, which is causing subsidence of air from upper levels of the atmosphere. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This compression leads to heating and suppresses cloud formation, resulting in clear skies and intense solar radiation reaching the surface." He said, "We are also seeing northwesterly winds, but they don't have that much effect currently. The weather conditions are expected to remain the same as the anticyclonic circulation is likely to persist for the next few days." Independent weather expert Abhijit Modak told TOI, "The re-emergence of dry air from the north/northwest desert regions is causing another increase in temperatures. Besides, local geographical factors are contributing to it too, specifically in the northeastern suburbs of Pune." Across India, Odisha's Jharsuguda emerged as the hottest location on Tuesday with 46.2°C, followed by Chandrapur, Sambalpur (44.6°C) and Dhenkanal (44.7°C) in Odisha, along with Ratlam (44°C) in Madhya Pradesh. Health authorities have advised people to stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activities during peak afternoon hours.
