LUCKNOW, Oct. 20 -- Dhanteras saw historic spending in Lucknow, with gold purchases crossing 47 kg (Rs 62.26 crore) at Rs 1,32,400 per 10 grams and silver hitting 890 kg (Rs 15.21 crore) at Rs 1,71,000 per kg. Jewellery stores in Chowk, Aminabad, and Alambagh remained open till Sunday 3 am to cater to buyers, while vehicle showrooms reported over 22,000 sales during the festive period, including 15 ultra-luxury cars above Rs 1 crore and strong demand for SUVs and electric vehicles. Jewellery stores reported long queues as shoppers rushed to make auspicious purchases. Traders described this Dhanteras as one of the best in recent years. Adesh Jain, vice president of Chowk Sarrafa Association, said, "Crowds stayed inside the shops till 3 am, reflecting strong festive buying sentiment." The buying spree extended to automobiles, with showrooms across the city reporting impressive sales. During the festive period from Navratri to Dhanteras, around 22,440 vehicles were sold in Lucknow and surrounding areas, according to the Automobile Dealers Association. On Dhanteras alone, 15 ultra-luxury cars priced above Rs 1 crore changed hands. Showrooms in Chinhat, Gomti Nagar, and Faizabad Road remained busy with bookings and deliveries. Parmpreet Kaur, manager at BMW's Chinhat showroom, said, "We delivered 45 units this festive season, including two BMW M2s (around Rs 1.5 crore each) and one i7 (around Rs 2.17 crore)." Syed Subhan Ali, showroom manager at MG Motors Chinhat, said EV bookings doubled this Dhanteras compared to previous years. "We received around 148 bookings so far. Customer interest in EVs is steadily increasing." Overall, SUVs made up 45% of total festive vehicle sales, while sedans and EVs shared the remaining 55%, highlighting a growing preference for premium and eco-friendly models among buyers....