BANGALORE: The World Gold Council (WGC) and The Art of Jewellery magazine are coming together to conduct Karnataka Gold Festival 2005 in Bangalore.

The event is slated over 50-days starting 4 May to 25 May coinciding with the South Indian festivals of Ugadi and Akshaya Tritiya and the wedding season as well.
 
 
Buoyed by its success last year, the event is going to be held on a larger scale this year. Last year in Bangalore alone more than 1.6 tons of gold in all forms were sold during the festival, which was held between 4 April and 23 May.
The event is co-sponsored by ICICI Bank, Diviniti, Vijay Times, Airtel and Malaysia Tourism. Popular singer-actress Vasundhara Das has been signed as the Brand Ambassador for the Gold Festival.

 
 
More than 500 major jewelers across Karnataka are participating from their respective outlets in the new avatar of the festival. All the jewellery associations of Karnataka are supporting the festival.
The most striking feature of this event is the 5 kilos gold prize for the consumers, spread across 246 lucky draw winners including 1 Kilo gold bumper prize. Three prizes are assured for each participating district. Last year, the prizes totaled 1 kilo of gold. On every purchase of jewellery worth Rs. 2000 and multiples thereof, the consumers are eligible for free lucky draw coupons.

 
 
An added feature this year is Malaysia Tourism's sponsoring a free holiday package for five couples (three among the participating jewelers and two among the customers).
"The response from the jewelers all over Karnataka has been over-whelming and we sincerely believe that the jewelery trade in the State will immensely benefit by this combined initiative," says WGC VP K. Shivram.

The Art of Jewelery magazine chief editor and executive publisher Sumesh Wadhera, adds, "We are very happy to bring the entire jewelery trade in the State on a common platform to promote and drive the jewelery sales. Karnataka Gold Festival 2005 will be one of the biggest jewelery shopping festivals in India."