Pushparagam, Pushyaragam and Pushyaraga: one gem, three spellings
All three words come from the Sanskrit puṣparāga, which the Monier-Williams Sanskrit dictionary explains as "flower-hued". Tamil writes it புஷ்பராகம் (Pushparagam), with புட்பராகம் (Putparagam) as the older standard spelling recorded in the University of Madras Tamil Lexicon. Malayalam writes പുഷ്യരാഗം (Pushyaragam) and Kannada ಪುಷ್ಯರಾಗ (Pushyaraga). You will hear the Tamil form in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Malayalam form in Kerala and the Kannada form in Karnataka.
The word sits inside the traditional list of nine gems in each language. The Tamil list of navamani runs: vairam, vaiduriyam, muthu, maragatham, manikkam, pavalam, putparagam, gomedhagam and neelam. The Malayalam navaratna list places പുഷ്യരാഗം beside മാണിക്യം (ruby), മരതകം (emerald) and ഇന്ദ്രനീലം (sapphire).
Topaz or yellow sapphire? Why the report matters
Dictionaries and the Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada Wikipedia articles translate this word as topaz, and Hindi Wikipedia likewise files पुखराज (Pukhraj) under topaz. In jyotish practice today, though, the Guru ratna bought and worn as Pukhraj or Pushparagam is yellow sapphire, a variety of the mineral corundum. Topaz is a different, cheaper mineral. Every stone on this page is sold as yellow sapphire, so read the report before you pay:
- Species and variety. The GemsMantra Authenticity Report lists Species and Variety. They should name corundum and yellow sapphire, not topaz.
- Refractive index and specific gravity. The report also lists these. Yellow sapphire reads about 1.76–1.77 for refractive index and about 4.0 for specific gravity; topaz reads about 1.61–1.64 and about 3.5. A number far from the sapphire range is a question to raise before you buy.
- Treatment. Listings here show either "No Indication of Treatments" or "-". Treat a blank field as a question, not an answer.
- Verify the number. Enter the report number on the Check Certificate page. The certification and guarantee page explains 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.
Names for Pukhraj across India
| Language | Name (script) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit | पुष्पराग | Pushparaga |
| Hindi | पुखराज | Pukhraj |
| Bengali | পোখরাজ | Pokhraj |
| Tamil | புஷ்பராகம் / புட்பராகம் | Pushparagam / Putparagam |
| Malayalam | പുഷ്യരാഗം | Pushyaragam |
| Kannada | ಪುಷ್ಯರಾಗ | Pushyaraga |
| Telugu | పుష్యరాగం | Pushyaragam (Kanaka Pushyaragam for the golden stone) |
Each of these names is the title or headword of the matching Wikipedia or Wiktionary entry. Whatever name you search in, the check at the till is the same: the report should say yellow sapphire.
Wearing customs, as traditionally stated
Tradition sets Pushparagam in gold, wears it on the index finger of the working hand and starts on a Thursday morning. Weight is spoken of in ratti; many astrologers suggest about 3 ratti or more, but that is general guidance, not a rule. Listings show both carat and ratti, and the carat to ratti converter helps you compare them. Confirm the stone suits your chart first 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
- Kanaka Pushyaragam (Telugu) 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.
