Gold

All that glitters..!

The last week an important event in the calendar came and went by ! Akshaya Tritiya. An auspicious day to buy gold / silver / property / new vehicles …and so. I am told.

Upon good neighbourly advice ( to be read as ‘neighbourly peer pressure’), we were lead to believe that such a purchase on the appointed day was mandatory for greater riches to pour in. The story went that whatever we had bought on that day, we would get many multiples of the same and more.

I had just come back from work, and did a quick check. I had bought a notebook, five litres of petrol, chewing gum and tea. Propelled by the fear of having more of these and not anything else, we saw our steps meandering to the jewellery store at the street corner. “I probably can buy a pendant” she said. Ah so ! That’s the plan !

I stood by the doorway and clicked the picture that you see atop. Not out of interest towards photography. But because of the crowds inside ! Everybody clamouring for more. Women and men from all walks of life. Buying that small pendant to the big chain to the ring to the bracelet. We braced for cover and i wanted to walk.

The accompanying images of great riches and the sheer belief that i saw in peoples faces made me think that there perhaps is some meaning in all this ! There was a war on between the rational side and the other side of me. My wife realised that war was on, and quickly bought a silver coin and walked ! We were poorer by Rs. 250 / – She was a happy woman !

I looked back at the crowds that were still raging. Now, was that great tradition at work ? Or was it shrewd marketing and positioning ? Or is it anyway close to being real ? Or is it the incredible human mind and its clamour for a better living !

I don’t know. All i know is on those days the glitter of gold was hard to miss !

Todays song is by Neil Young, called Heart of Gold. I thought it appropriate.