Idol ornaments at Ranka Jewellers
Purchases typically pick up about 10 days before Ganeshotsav. Prices start at around Rs 500 and rise according to weight and craftsmanship.
So, we bought a small mukut for our Ganapati,” she said. Customers are looking for articles that appear grand but are lighter and fit their budget,” said Vastupal Ranka, director at Ranka Jewellers. You can bring in new colour, enamel work or different finishes, but the character of the piece must remain traditional,” Ranka said. People still want thalis, lotas, panchpatras, lamps and bowls, but many are choosing lighter or smaller options that suit their budget,” Ranka said. Since the prices have increased, we are buying smaller, lighter items, but since it is a ritual, people will follow it,” said Piyush Adhikari, a Boat Club Road resident. Hemant Chavaan, head of marketing and e-commerce at PNG Jewellers, said silver demand was strong for Ganeshotsav, with customers buying mukuts, haars, kalash, auspicious ornaments, durva, hibiscus flowers, silver mice, and other puja articles. “We are seeing greater enthusiasm for adding silver elements to festive celebrations despite higher precious-metal prices,” Chavaan said. Ranka said gold Ganpati idols weighing as little as three to five grams were also available.
Pune: Aarti Kulkarni, a resident of Baner, has bought a small mukut (headpiece) for Bappa this Ganeshotsav. The occasion? “For the last three or four years we have not bought such idol ornaments, but this year my grandson was born. “Ganapati ornaments are built over the years. A family may buy a haar one year, a mukut the next, and then add a shawl or another accessory. What has changed this year is the weight they are comfortable buying. Some customers also exchange an older piece for a new design. “A mukut has to look like a mukut and a modak must retain its familiar form. Silver durva and modaks are among Ranka Jewellers’ fastest-moving articles this year. Silver thalis, lotas, panchpatras, lamps and bowls are also being bought, but in lightweight varieties. For buyers, however, cutting weight does not mean cutting out the tradition. “Buying these items is a ritual. Gold purchases, meanwhile, are increasingly centred on lightweight jewellery and smaller-ticket pieces. Jewellers are responding with lighter construction and electroforming, while custom-made pieces allow families to control the weight and cost.
“The price of silver has almost doubled from last year.