Tamil Nadu   

Go for gold

For ages, there has been one metal which has captivated the human kind, and that is Gold! This is the same metal that made King Midas famous though not for his deeds but for his Golden touch. Gold is one metal that enjoys international patronage and has no barriers and boundaries.

Gold is indestructible and what makes it even more special is that, it can be designed in various shapes and patterns. Ornamental value apart, gold was used as a medium of exchange in the olden days. The people from ancient Lydia (now Turkey) were the first to make coins, about 2700 years ago from electrum, a mixture of gold and silver which was used for commercial purpose.

India is famous for its gold jewellery and our country is one of the largest consumers of gold. In the Indian tradition it is a practice to give gold to the bride when she is married off by her parents not only to adorn her, but also to help in turbulent times, for this metal can be pledged and sold and is liquidatable. Thanks to gold, for it is a common sight in India to see pawnbrokers doing brisk business. Gold can also be pledged with banks.

With most NBFC's closing down in India, investment in gold is the best option available. It is a high value asset that is readily convertible into cash. Moreover this metal can be handled over to posterity for its value would hardly diminish as long as our love for it remains undiminished. Considering the importance of gold, the Central Government permits the import of gold (both jewellery and bars)

Free of duty up to 5 kgs. The stock market in India has of late been plagued by scandals, which has made it riskier to trade. Moreover the Indian middle class has been risk averse and has never found it prudent to invest and trade in the secondary markets. Investment in gold therefore seems to be a safe alternative.

Facts on Gold:

Indian medicine has always recognized and revered the value of gold. If you were to check out the chemical content of some of the best Ayurvedic medicines, you will be sure to find some elements of gold being used especially in medicines used to treat ailments like rheumatoid arthritis and even cancer.

Used in making life beautiful by surrounding ourselves with things of beauty gold leaf work on wall hangings and in paintings is eye catchingly attractive. It has been around for a long time, as gold was itself discovered and processed as early as 6000 BC. Gold Leaf, used extensively in paintings, including our Tanjore ones is made by pounding gold into thin sheets that are then lifted and placed on the work of art to add a special shine to them.

The thinnest gold leaf comes from Japan, Gold leaf is mixed with animal glue and rubbed into paintings.

In Burma, it takes a team of gold pounders five hours of hand pounding with iron mallets to make chips of gold into leaf. Each leather packet contains 750 chips of gold, each chip weighing a mite over one hundred a gram. The pounders work in tandem for exactly three minutes, resting for one or two and starting all over again.

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