The last weekend before Dhanteras and Diwali saw a surge in festive shopping across Calcutta.
Cars, jewellery, phones, consumer durables and decorative lights — there was a robust demand across segments. Stores decorated with promotional offers were crowded throughout the day.
Some shoppers said they wanted their purchases delivered on the day of Dhanteras (October 18, Saturday), while others chose to take home their prized possessions on Sunday itself.
At 3pm, the Moulali showroom of Senco Gold and Diamonds was crowded. Every counter had sales staff attending to customers, displaying sparkling chains, rings, bangles, pendants, and bracelets.
Payel Gupta, 37, came from Kankurgachi with her mother-in-law.
“I bought a 5-gram gold coin, a necklace, and a pendant for Dhanteras. Buying gold on Dhanteras is a ritual for us. Every year before Diwali, it’s something our family never misses — the festival feels incomplete without it,” she said.
Suvankar Sen, managing director and CEO, Senco Gold and Diamonds, told Metro: “The sales this year are very good. We saw a growth of 20-22 per cent compared to last year. September was a bit slow. But now, since we are approaching the wedding season, more buyers are turning up”.
The series of jewellery stores along BB Ganguly Street in Bowbazar was also busy throughout Sunday.
The demand is for two broad segments — heavy jewellery for the wedding season and lighter items, those that people can wear to work, said jewellers.
Automobiles were also in demand. “Many of the recent buyers have insisted on an October 18 delivery,” said a Calcutta-based official of an automobile company who looks after sales in eastern India.
Consumer durables were in brisk demand.
At Khosla Electronics in Selimpur, many customers had already pre-booked air conditioners and LED televisions.
“One in five customers is coming in new air-conditioners, which have become cheaper following the recent GST revision,” said Sandip Kumar Ghosh, store manager.
“I’ve booked a geyser and a microwave oven for Dhanteras. Last year, I bought an air conditioner during the festival. I always prefer buying big appliances during this time — it feels auspicious, and the festive discounts make it even better,” said Debashis Roychowdhury, 50, a resident of Behala.
Apple’s new iPhone 17 series was also in the top draw. “There is a solid demand for the entire iPhone 17 lineup. Many of the new buyers want a Dhanteras delivery,” said an Apple reseller.
The iPhone 17 offerings include the standard iPhone 17, the slimmer iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
At Chandni Chowk, the festive spirit shimmered under rows of colourful lights. Stalls selling fancy candles, LED chains, sky lanterns, and traditional diyas, mostly of Chinese make, saw a steady stream of customers through the day.
Incessant rain for much of the past week hampered the business ahead of the festival of lights. On Sunday, traders said they hoped to make the most of the few days before Diwali.
Mohammad Israfil, a trader, said footfall was higher this year compared to last.
“The highest demand is for LED chains, which start at ₹150,” he said.
Subhasis Ghosh, who works in the IT sector in Sector V, stocked up on decorative lights for his home.
“I bought different colours of lights for this Diwali. It’s the last weekend before Diwali, so we had to take as many as we could,” said the resident of Garia.