By By Imtiaz Hussain
The traditional wedding season in Sindh is between the Eid-ul-Fitr and end of Zulhaj that is before the mourning month of Muharram.
The price hike of gold has forced a number of people to put off wedding plans till such time that prices ease down to reasonable level so as to enable them to buy jewellery.
Gold in dowry is a must in rural society. The daughters and sisters would rather sit waiting for the rukhsati than be wedded off without substantial amount of gold jewellery.
The jewellers are worried over loss of business. A wide section of their clients cannot afford to buy jewellery now. Most goldsmiths are now jobless. Jewellers are downsizing the staff. Business is dull and client base has narrowed down to the moneyed class only.
The landed aristocracy and feudal lords have nothing to worry about, they have enough holdings to buy gold at any price, but the middle class and landlords with smaller holdings are perplexed over the bullion price hike.
The tradition of gold jewellery in dowry run so deep that it is impossible to think of wedding without it.
People would sell part of land, pawn their livestock, or even stoop to borrowing from the dreaded moneylenders to buy enough jewellery to set up the dowry of their daughters and sisters.
Artificial jewellery is out of question in dowry. Though it is acceptable in rural Sindh as a daily wear item. Artificial jewellery from India and China is most popular. It is at times difficult to tell the difference between real and artificial gold jewellery.
Ego of the Sindhi folk would never allow brides in artificial jewellery. Gold as pure as their love for their daughters, such is the commitment of parents towards furbishing gold sets in dowry.
While the price of gold has bought misery for a large number of people it has bring windfall profits for the village folk who do not belive in the banking system.
A vast majority of people in Sindh keep their savings in shape of gold - solid bangles, rings - jewellery with minimum art work and joints (tanka) as it reduces the value of gold. The gold investors are seeing their investments soar. Even if the jewellers get away with cheating them of 10 per cent in name of wastage - a typical habit of gold dealers - the old fashioned gold savers have a fortune to liquidate.
Gold investment is more popular in Hindus than in Muslims. The Hindus and the Memon community dominate the bullion market in upper Sindh. Workers in gold market say that the Hindu jewellers are best in behaviour and dealing skills with the buyers.
imtiaz_phulpoto@yahoo.com