Gold Coins, Genda Phool and a Whole Lot of Laddoo: Inside India’s Pre-Diwali Carts on Instamart

If there’s one thing India’s festive shopping carts are saying this Diwali, it’s that there’s always room for a little more sparkle. From lighting up homes and preparing for Lakshmi Puja to picking up gold and silver for Dhanteras, festive treats and thoughtful gifts, consumers had a head start on their celebrations with Instamart.

The festive spirit is visible in the little details that make a home Diwali-ready. Searches for candles and marigolds grew nearly 200% year-on-year, while interest in Diwali hampers rose around 300%, reflecting a growing appetite for festive gifting. From diyas and decorative lights to fresh flowers, rangoli accessories and pooja essentials, shoppers are finding more ways to bring festive cheer into every corner of their homes.

            With the Diwali weekend starting, preparations have been under way for days.

The Dhanteras Gold Rush, by the Numbers

Gold is the shagun of choice: Gold coin orders surged 23x in the week leading up to Dhanteras. One-gram gold coins, followed by 0.5 gram emerged as favourites.

Sparkle cities: Bengaluru led gold coin purchases, followed by Hyderabad and Mumbai, while Delhi topped silver coin orders.

Silver finds its own shine: Silver coin orders were up 7x compared to the week leading up to Dhanteras. The 5g and 10g denominations were almost equally popular, with Lakshmi-Ganesh designs leading the festive picks.

Ghar ki Lakshmi, meet ghar ka makeover: Kitchen and dining orders grew 45%, with dinner sets surging 344% and pressure cookers climbing 171%.

Biggest single carts ahead of Dhanteras: One shopper ordered multiple 1g Goddess Lakshmi gold coins in a single cart, worth a total of ₹1.73 lakh. While many from Bengaluru and Ahmedabad opted for the 10g 24K gold coins in a single cart

Biggest spends ahead of Dhanteras by single users: A shopper in Noida led the list, spending nearly ₹5 lakh on gold coins across nine orders. This was followed by a Mumbaikar who spent a whopping ₹4.31 lakh across gold and silver coins, including ₹14,950 worth of silver. A user from Warrangal bought gold coins worth ₹3.86 lakh across 5 orders.

Lights, Camera, Celebration: India Gets Its Diwali Makeover

No Diwali is complete without genda phool playing in the background and marigold strings adorning the entrance.

Phoolon Ka Taaron Ka: Flower orders rose 42%, with marigolds, flower strings and bouquets already bringing the festive charm home for the pre-Diwali parties.

Diya Jale, Ghar Saje: Pooja diyas grew 45%, LED diya lights 88%

Mithai Ho Jaye! Indians clearly weren’t counting calories just yet. Mithai orders have already grown by over 55%, with laddoo, soan papdi, kaju katli, gulab jamun and peda leading the sweet parade.

Mithai Mein Kya Hai? Every City Has Its Own Diwali Menu

One country, many cravings. While laddoos and kaju katli found fans everywhere, each city had its own regional pick:

Chennai: Gulab jamun led sweet orders, with seedai emerging as the snack of choice

Ahmedabad and Jaipur: Soan papdi was the most-ordered sweet. Some traditions are simply non-negotiable. Ahmedabad also showed a liking for sev and bhel.

Bengaluru: Vada and kodubale were the favourite snacks

Hyderabad: Chakodi brought the regional crunch

Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram: Jackfruit chips stood out

Pune: Chiwda and bhakarwadi were festive favourites

Festive Eats Get a Healthy Twist

Who says festive indulgence can’t come with a side of protein? Shoppers are making room for healthier picks alongside the traditional favourites.

Protein, please: Protein chip orders jumped 239%.

Millet and makhana moments: Ragi, jowar and bajra snacks grew 188%, and makhana grew 52%.

Meetha, minus the sugar: Sugar-free sweets grew 71%, sugar-free sweeteners 80% and sugar-free cookies 51%.

Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai: From Festive Fits to Last-Minute Fixes

The Diwali list doesn’t end with mithai and décor. Indians checked off just about everything.

New year, new wardrobe? Footwear orders grew 79%, bags and accessories 68% and clothing 50%.

Gift-wrapping, sorted: Gift wrap paper grew 78% and gift bags 50%, because presentation is half the present.

Snack attack: Munchies and snacks grew 56%, cold drinks and juices 49%

Puja essentials, sorted too: From batasha and agarbattis to idols and accessories, shoppers are getting their festive checklist in order.

Diwali preps clearly don’t sleep! Orders between 12 AM and 2 AM grew significantly. From homes getting their festive glow-up (decorative lights up 903%, candles 289%) to last-minute hosting essentials like whiskey glasses (up 136%), the midnight rush had it all. Soan papdi and kaju katli kept the festive sweet tooth happy, while cola, chips and chocolates topped the midnight munchies list. And of course, fresh milk, instant noodles and tissues were a major part of late night carts

Shopping ka shubh muhurat: Festive shopping began as early as November 1, proof that the checklist doesn’t follow business hours.