PNS | DEHRADUN
Following the conclusion of Kharmas after Makar Sankranti, the period deemed auspicious for weddings has officially begun across the country. It is believed that on Makar Sankranti, the sun transitions into the zodiac sign of Capricorn, marking the end of Kharmas—a time during which the celebration of auspicious events is traditionally prohibited. As a result, the conclusion of Kharmas has heralded a favourable period for such celebrations, leading to increased activity among shopkeepers in major markets throughout the city, including Paltan Bazaar and Raja Road, among others. Many shopkeepers in Dehradun have reported a significant rise in customer foot traffic coinciding with the start of the wedding season.
Regarding this, a bridal cloth shop owner Raghav Bindra said that following the conclusion of Kharmas, customer traffic has increased. However, he said that many customers had made prior reservations for their garments and are collecting them now that the inauspicious period has ended. He further pointed out that although sales had declined since December, the onset of the wedding season is expected to revive business activity more in the upcoming days.
Additionally, another shop owner specialising in jewellery Jasmit Singh said that gold jewellery sales typically dropped after Deepawali. He attributed this decline to two main factors: the rising price of gold and the beginning of Kharmas. However, following the end of Makar Sankranti, there has been a slight uptick in gold sales. Nonetheless, it has been observed that customers are favouring lightweight and Italian jewellery for the wedding season due to the high cost of gold, he stated.
“Preparations are underway to stock my store with a variety of new styles, including sarees, lehengas and other clothing options. With the onset of the wedding season following Makar Sankranti, we have observed a noticeable increase in customer traffic in the marketplace and shops. Business has indeed become quite brisk in terms of sales,” said another local shopkeeper Harish Tyagi.
Many other retailers in the city markets have shared similar enthusiasm regarding the beginning of the wedding season, anticipating a boost in sales.
