印度人民爱黄金

India is the worlds largest consumer of gold. Why gold？ Because in India， there is no possession more valuable. For Indians， gold jewelry is wearable wealth， financial security thats also a fashion statement. Indias love for gold is as ancient as its culture. And with its growing prosperity， the one event that drives most of that demand is an Indian wedding.

There may be no wedding like an Indian wedding. The events can last for days with music and dancing and traditions that go back centuries. Everywhere you look， theres a collection of colors， flowers and food. And then theres the gold： breathtaking. Here its a symbol of purity that also shows off the couples wealth and wellbeing.

Reporter： Ive heard several times since Ive been here， “No gold， no wedding.”

Divya Chauhan （Wedding Planner）： Yes， absolutely. Chauhans Friend： Its very true.

Chauhan： The bride is ready， the groom is ready， the venue is set， the food is set， but if you dont have gold， theres no wedding.

In November， in the small southern city of Tumkur， they pulled together the wedding event of the season. Two of the towns elite families joined through the marriage of Nivedita Keshavmurthy and Akshay Bavikatte—both doctors. The families spent over $200，000 just on gold. Guests came to wish the couple well， not to mention it gave everyone a chance to break out their finest gold jewelry.

Chauhan： The gold will show off the prosperity and the stand of the family in the society.

Reporter： Is that vanity？ What is that？

Chauhan： Its not vanity. Its just something so culturally ingrained in us that you cant have reasoning around it.

An Indian bride is usually given jewelry by her parents， gold they started buying when she was born. Its her financial security after she joins her husbands family—gold shell control throughout the marriage.

Ajay Mitra （World Gold Councils Managing Director for India and the Middle East）： Gold is a part of life. You can not have a family which doesnt own gold. It is an incomplete family.

Reverence for gold touches everyone， from the very old to the very young. From the high-end stores in major cities， to the gold-plated jewelry shops in the poorest villages.

The Bavikatte wedding was a Hindu ceremony， the religion for 80% of Indians. The bride and groom had gold on them and all around them， a powerful symbol of purity and eternity that Hindus elevate to the status of a goddess. They call her Lakshmi. Every fall， theres a religious holiday， one day when Hindus worship Lakshmi by shopping for gold.

Chauhan： That day， if you buy gold， its considered to bring you prosperity， good luck， health， wealth， everything. If you buy gold a day before， you get nothing. You buy gold a day after， you get nothing.

Reporter： So you dont just buy it， you buy it on a particular…

Chauhan： Day.

Reporter： And thats the way it is.

Chauhan： Yes.

Reporter： You dont question that.

Chauhan： We have never questioned it. We just know if you buy gold today itll bring you prosperity. Goddess Lakshmi will visit your house. So hey， lets do it. Who doesnt want to be prosperous？

Reporter： How can you be both frugal and conservative， but yet be willing to spend thousands of dollars on gold？

Ishu Datwani （Gold Store Owner） ： Because in your mind， that is a saving. That is going toward your saving account. You know， a lot of people， when they come and buy gold， they dont think theyre spending money. Its not an expense. Its an investment.

印度是世界上最大的黃金消费国家。为什么是黄金呢？因为在印度，没有什么财产比黄金更贵重的了。对于印度人来说，黄金首饰既是可以穿戴的财富，又代表了经济保障，更是一种彰显时尚的方式。印度人对黄金的喜爱就像印度文化般历史悠久，而随着该国日益繁荣，婚礼成了推动黄金需求的大事件。

世上也许没有什么婚礼比得上印度人的婚礼。一场载歌载舞的传统婚礼会持续数日，婚礼上古老的传统仪式已经流传了数百年。婚礼上处处是琳琅满目的绚丽色彩、鲜花和美食。还有黄金，让人倒吸一口气的金子。在这里，它是纯洁的象征，也向世人宣示新婚夫妇的财富和他们的康乐。

记者：我到印度后听别人说过好几次，“没有黄金就不能举行婚礼”。

迪娅·查罕（婚礼策划人）：是的，绝对正确。查罕的朋友：这是一句大实话。

查罕：新娘准备好了，新郎准备好了，场地准备好了，食物也准备好了，但如果没有金子，婚礼就无法举行。

11月，在印度南部的杜姆古尔小镇，她们携手策划了一场年度最盛大的婚礼。镇上两个上层家庭联姻，两家的纳瓦迪特·凯沙墨菲和阿克谢·巴瓦卡德（两人都是医生）喜结连理。两家光是在黄金上就花了超过二十万美元。宾客们到此向新人表示祝贺，此外，这也给了所有人一个展示自己最漂亮的金首饰的绝好机会。

查罕：在这里，黄金可以显示一个家庭富足的生活和这个家庭的社会地位。

记者：这是虚荣心吗？还是其他什么？

查罕：这不是虚荣心。这只是在我们的文化里根深蒂固的某种东西，是没法说理的。

新娘的父母通常会给女儿金首饰，这是从她出生之日起就开始为她购置的。这些黄金在她进入夫家后由她自己掌控，是她的财富保障。

亚杰·密特拉（世界黄金协会印度及中东总经理）：黄金是生活的一部分，一个家庭没有黄金就不成为一个家，那将会是一个不完整的家庭。

对黄金的推崇之情与所有的人都息息相关，老老少少无一例外。从大城市里的高端金店到最贫困地区的镀金首饰店都可以体现这一点。

80%的印度人都信仰印度教，巴瓦卡德家的婚礼正是一个印度教婚礼。新娘新郎身上戴满了金饰，他们周围也堆满了金子，这是纯洁和永恒一个强有力的象征，金子的这种象征意义还被提升了到女神的地位。这位女神叫拉克什米。每年秋天有一个宗教节日，在那一天，印度教徒会以购买黄金的方式来表示对拉克什米女神的敬意。

查罕：在那天，如果你去买金，那就会给你带来兴旺、好运气、健康、财富，一切一切。如果你在前一天买的话，你什么都得不到；你如果晚一天买，也是什么都不会得到。

记者：这么说，就不仅仅是买金子这么简单，还要在某个特定的日子买……

查罕：特定的日子。

记者：事情就是这个样子。

查罕：是的。

记者：你们不会质疑这一点。

查罕：我们从来都不质疑这个。我们就是知道，如果你今天买金，你就会兴旺。拉克什米女神就会到你家。好啊，那就干呗，谁不想兴旺呢？

记者：一个人怎么可能在节俭和保守的同时，又愿意花好几千元去购买黄金呢？

依苏·达特瓦尼（金店老板）：那是因为在你的心里，这样做是存钱，这等于往你的储蓄账户里存钱。你知道，许多人来买黄金的时候，他们不觉得他们是在花钱。那不是一笔开销，而是一次投资。