Bhubaneswar, Nov. 11: There was a rush at jewellery stores across the city on the occasion of Dhanteras today. Despite gold price swinging around Rs 32,000 for 10gms, stores saw a surge of buyers from early morning to late in the evening.

Apart from buying gold to bring luck following the popular belief, revellers were also seen buying sweets and dry fruits.

Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi is observed on the 13th day of the lunar phase of the holy month of Kartik. Believed to be an auspicious occasion, Dhanteras celebrations commence with buying jewellery or gold coins, which is then consecrated by offering to Goddess Laxmi. Many people who are unable to buy gold opted for silver jewellery.

“We opened our store an hour before the usual time today and there was already a host of buyers waiting to collect a piece of precious metals or stones. Most of the sale was for gold coins that start at 0.5 gm,” said a salesperson of a jewellery store at Master Canteen.

Many jewellers also introduced special offers for Dhanteras. With discounts on making charges and a direct slash of price up to Rs 2,000 or more on ornaments, a beeline of customers was predictable.

“To avoid rush, I was here even before the stores opened. It is believed that buying gold on Dhanteras brings good luck and prosperity. So, I have been buying gold coins every year,” said Snigdha Behera, 25, a corporate employee.

Confectioners were also busy taking orders for corporates and businessmen for sweets and dry fruits. Popular variety of sweets include laddu, barfi, anjeer and peda among others.

“Cashews, almonds, raisins and other dry fruits are a common gift during Diwali. They are important ingredients of sweets prepared for the festival. Pure ghee sweets such as boondi laddu, besan laddu, barfi and anjeer, which are full of dry fruits, are most sought after,” said Satish Raghavan of city-based sweet store Venus Inn.

More than 150 options of sweets are available in the market. The prices of these range between Rs 190 to Rs 500 a kg.