GOLD'S QUIET REVOLUTION IN WOMEN'S LIVES

Gold is more than ornaments in India — it's insurance; it's independence; it's power

- BY MANJUSHA RADHAKRISHNAN | Entertainment Editor

As prices soar to Dh374 per gram for 22 carat gold, I'm not going to pretend I understand the stock market or the forces of global economics.

But here's what I do know: every Malayali, scratch that — every Indian woman — who has lovingly hoarded gold over the years is probably laughing her way to the bank right now.

Let me tell you a story. My sister and I had arranged marriages. That means we essentially married the equivalent of a blind date — handpicked by our parents. It's a massive gamble, really. But in India, when you go along with your folks' wishes and embrace the traditional route, there's an unspoken reward system: they deck you out in gold. Generously.