Kanaka Pushyaragam Stone (Pukhraj, Yellow Sapphire)

What "Kanaka Pushyaragam" means

The name has two parts. Kanaka is the Sanskrit word for gold, as the Monier-Williams dictionary records. Pushyaragam (పుష్యరాగం) is the Telugu form of the Sanskrit gem name puṣparāga. Together the name describes a golden Pushyaragam, and the word "gold" is about colour, not metal. The name is used across the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Telugu sources tie the stone to Jupiter. The Telugu Wikipedia table of nakshatras lists కనక పుష్యరాగం as the gem for Punarvasu, a nakshatra it assigns to Guru. That matches the wider jyotish view of Pukhraj as Jupiter's ratna.

Topaz on paper, yellow sapphire in the jewellery box

The Telugu Wikipedia article పుష్యరాగం describes topaz, and the Sanskrit dictionary gives topaz too. In gem buying, however, the Guru ratna that goes by Kanaka Pushyaragam or Pukhraj is yellow sapphire (corundum). Ask for the report and check that its Species and Variety fields say corundum and yellow sapphire, not topaz.

Judging "kanaka" colour

Because the name promises a golden colour, colour is where buyers look first. A few points help you compare fairly:

• Light changes colour. Warm indoor light makes yellow look deeper. Ask for daylight photos or a short video before you decide.
• Deeper is not always better for you. Colour, clarity, origin, treatment and weight all move the price. A paler, cleaner stone can suit a chart as well as a deeper one; that choice is your astrologer's.
• Colour and treatment are separate questions. Many yellow sapphires in the trade are heated to improve colour. Listings here show either "No Indication of Treatments" or "-". If the field is blank, ask before you buy.
• Verify, then wear. Enter the report number on the Check Certificate page. The certification and guarantee page sets out the refund if a qualifying lab proves a stone synthetic. GemsMantra works with leading labs including GIA, IGI, GRS and GJEPC's IIGJ. Each stone's listing names the lab that issued its report and the report number.

Kanaka Pushyaragam or citrine?

Golden citrine, called Sunela in Hindi, is the upratna most often named for Pukhraj and is sometimes offered as a budget "yellow stone". It is a quartz, not a sapphire, and it costs far less. Three things separate them on paper: citrine's refractive index is about 1.54–1.55 against about 1.76–1.77 for yellow sapphire, its specific gravity is about 2.65 against about 4.0, and its hardness is 7 on the Mohs scale against 9. If you are quoted a low price for a large "Kanaka Pushyaragam", read these fields on the report before anything else. GemsMantra lists citrine separately, under its own name.

Wearing customs, as traditionally stated

Kanaka Pushyaragam is traditionally set in gold and worn on the index finger of the working hand, beginning on a Thursday. Many astrologers suggest about 3 ratti or more; this is general guidance, and the weight for you should come from your own chart. Listings show both carat and ratti, and the carat to ratti converter helps you read them. Start with the free Gemstone Calculator or an astrologer consultation (₹499, adjusted against a purchase).

Price snapshot

On 24-Sep-2026, n = 173 yellow sapphire listings in the parent collection were in stock. Prices ran from ₹27,055 to ₹19,89,900, with a median of ₹2,85,205. This page shows exactly the same products as the Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj) collection, and prices change as stock sells, so the product grid is the live reference.

Read next

• Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj) collection
• Pukhraj benefits and wearing guide
• Pukhraj price guide
• Pushparagam (Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada) name page

Astrological associations on this page describe traditional Vedic belief. Gemstones are not medicines, and no specific outcome is guaranteed. Regional names are given as recorded in the dictionaries and encyclopaedias cited; spellings vary by region.