Customers check out gold jewellery at a shop at Hathua Market in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Jewellery shops in the state capital opened to a mad rush on Sunday, as residents who are planning to get married in April and their kin jostled for the ornaments of their choice.

The Telegraph had reported on April 5 that many residents were planning to go to cities like Delhi and Bangalore to purchase gold jewellery because nearly 1,000 shops in Patna had been shut since March 17 in protest against the proposed excise duty on gold ornaments.

After the strike was withdrawn on Saturday evening, many residents called up their travel agents to cancel their tickets.

“Yesterday, I saw on a news channel that the jewellers had called off their strike, and the shops would re-open on Sunday. I immediately called up my travel agent and asked him to cancel my flight ticket to Delhi. My daughter’s wedding is scheduled on April 20. So, it is a great relief for me. I will now be able to buy jewellery in Patna itself,” said Boring Road resident Jitendra Saxena.

The businessman added: “Some ornaments are essential for weddings. Thank God the shops are finally open.”

After the 21-day strike, jewellery shops in Hathua market, Bakarganj and Rajabazaar saw an overwhelming customer response on Sunday. Some of them were in a great hurry to choose the perfect necklace or ring for the special day.

Kankarbagh resident Ankita Singh told The Telegraph: “I have been waiting anxiously for this day. I have to buy ornaments for my son’s wedding, scheduled on April 19. We were very worried as all the shops were closed.”

She added: “I have come here to buy a gold chain. I also have to buy some other ornaments but there is hardly any time left.”

The opening of the shops though is not the solution to their problems.

“Even the manufacturers had closed their establishments in support of the strike. This has led to a scarcity of gold and silver ornaments. Whatever ornaments we have will be sold in a few days because of the huge rush. We will soon face problem in meeting the demands of the customers,” said Amit Gupta, the proprietor of Alankar Jewellers & Brothers at Hathua Market.

There is another cloud hovering over the golden shine. The association of the jewellers have warned that the shops might close again if their demand is not met. So, to make hay while the gold glitters would be a jolly good idea.

Patliputra Sarrafa Sangh spokesperson Vinod Kumar told The Telegraph: “The shops have opened now as we have been assured by the Union finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee). However, if our demand of withdrawing the excise duty is not met by May 11, we would again go on a nationwide strike.”