Gold rush: The best days to buy gold this year

Mumbai: Gold, the royal metal has a great fan following in the Indian subcontinent.

The love for the yellow metal in the land of the Ganga is steeped in traditions and some dates are specifically set aside for buying gold.

Here is our list of some of the days considered auspicious according to the Hindu calendar for gold purchases in India according to the date, the day, the occasion and its significance.

• September 25-Thursday: is Gurupushyamrit Day, auspicious for new ventures
• October 9-Thursday: is the Dussera Festival
• October 22-Wednesday: Pushya Nakshatra Day, auspicious for new ventures
• October 26-Sunday: is Dhanteras festival, a part of Diwali celebrations
• October 28-Tuesday: is Diwali, the festival of lights, Gold invokes prosperity
• November 18-Tuesday: is Pushya Nakshatra Day, auspicious for new ventures
• December 15-Monday: is Pushya Nakshatra Day, auspicious for new ventures

The most auspicious day for buying gold is the Dhanteras festival, followed by Akshaya Tritiya that fell in May.

An inauspicious phase when most people avoid buying any gold is the 'Shradh' fortnight, a period for paying homage to ancestors. This year, it falls from September 15 to 29.

The Hindu calendar has regional variations, but the above dates are broadly followed across the country in the gold trade for planning inventories.