Customers choose jewelery at a store in Kozhikode on December 23. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
The price of one gold sovereign (8 grams) crossed the ₹1-lakh mark. Although this was widely expected, it did not ease the distress faced by the families of the brides, many of whom were hoping for a last-minute drop in prices. Similar to petrol prices crossing ₹100 per litre, the common man has no choice but to accept the reality.
“It’s a huge slap in the face for the common man. We were hoping to make a last-minute purchase and expected a fall in prices even though gold has been hovering above ₹90,000 for the past few months,” said Bivitha M., a housewife from Koyilanda in Kozhikode. Her eldest daughter is getting married on Sunday. “All we can do now is make do with seven sovereign countries instead of the 10 sovereigns we planned to buy,” she added.
The wedding season is in full swing in Kerala, which consistently leads the country in per capita gold consumption. Gold jewelery remains an almost mandatory part of weddings across communities in the state. While it used to form part of dowry practices, it is now largely seen as an investment in the bride’s future. “Gold comes in handy in emergencies. With prices ever-rising, it has become one of the most reliable investments for anyone, not just women,” said Ramya NP, an accountant in the city, who got married a year ago when the price of gold was around ₹50,000 per sovereign.
Archana Anilkumar’s family, who is getting married in mid-January, had anticipated the rush and made arrangements well in advance. Over the past year, Archana’s mother has deposited money in two different jewelery shops, enabling her to buy gold at the price prevailing on the day of deposit. “She deposited money in one jewelery store when gold was around ₹ 55,000 per government and another when it was ₹ 70,000. This is convenient now,” Ms Archana said.
Meanwhile, many modern brides, including Archana, are averse to wearing heavy gold jewelry and often insist that they don’t need much gold for their weddings. Bivitha said it was a huge relief that both her daughters refused to accept large amounts of gold from their parents. “They claim they can buy the gold themselves if needed,” she added.
Rising gold prices also adversely affected the jewelry business. “Most people now come only to exchange old gold ornaments. Even for weddings, many opt for imitation jewellery. Gold is no longer bought as gifts,” said TK Surendran, president of the Kozhikode district of the All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants’ Association. However, Kerala’s fondness for gold is unlikely to wane even as affordability continues to decline, he said.
Published – 23 Dec 2025 23:38 IST
