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NDIA, August 27, 2004: Gold has been treasured, sought after and coveted from the beginning of human history. It gave birth to the science of chemistry. To this day, it is the only guaranteed hedge against inflation in any culture anywhere in the world. In India, however, it is much more than just a precious metal. It is part of the cultural fabric and an inseparable part of the belief system. It is the essence from which the universe was created, says this article. From the root word Hri meaning imperishable, comes Hiranya the ancient name for gold. Brahma is referred to as Hiranyagarbha–the one born of gold.



“Gold has always been an integral part of Indian society even outside religion and mythology,” says Dinesh Parikh, a bullion consultant and authority on gold. “It has been considered auspicious because it has formed the basis of the concept of stridhan, the woman’s endowment at marriage that is a buffer against a rainy day. Gold is, therefore, an essential part of the Indian social fabric. There are established patterns for gold acquisition at festivals, especially Diwali, all over India, Durga Puja in the East and Onam and Pongal in the South,” says Parikh. He stresses that the main drivers for gold acquisition in India remain festivals and occasions like weddings.



Indira Bhojwani, a jewelry retailer, observes that “the new Italian and French styles and even platinum jewelry don’t really suit the Indian psyche. They’re nice and they certainly have stirred some interest, but the bulk of Indian jewelry buying is still rooted in tradition–something that has undoubtedly been modified and shaped by fashion trends and a design element over the years.” This kind of rooting of many current fashion-driven trends in religion and tradition is apparent in the navratna jewelry. Says Bhojwani, “The navratna gems are representative of five planets–Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter–as well as the sun, the moon and separately, the ascendant (rahu or dragon’s head) and descendent (ketu or dragon’s tail) phases of the moon. Each stone draws energy from the cosmos and in their specific, traditional pattern, the navratna are said to be an unending storehouse of energy, enhancing the life of the wearer. For this combination of gems to be efficacious, they have to be set in gold.” For the full article, click on “source” above.

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