Must Visit Shopping Places & Items in India

India is a land for shoppers. I can vouch for it because I need a dose of retail therapy too often! And those who are like me know that a good dose of bargain-hunting can cure pretty much everything. Of course, there isn’t much that you wouldn’t get in your neighborhood, but the fun is in grabbing deals where they happen! Whether it’s a honeymoon, a family outing or even a solo traveler, who can resist a chance to run fingers across the varied goodies on display… For those who want to know where you can bag the best, we bring you our shopping hot-spots in India that offer really unusual albeit interesting goodies!

Goa: This beach locale needs no introduction. Along with its sights & sounds, you definitely miss out on a lot if you don’t rummage through the little markets for goodies. It’s a great place to buy gifts for everyone back home – “I Love Goa” t-shirts, Goan masalas, dry fruits & the signature drink Feni.

Leh & Ladakh: This Little Tibet might not seem to be much of shopper’s delight, but you’d be surprised at the range of things you can actually buy here. Typical of this region is Tibetan trumpets & brass and copper Chang kettles.

Kozhikode: This is the official Land of Spices, so the best shopping item is the many exotic spices available at the Big Bazaar. Another item typical to this area is the little Uru Boats that are placed within bottles & make interesting take-aways.

Lakshadweep: This beautiful island has interesting shopping stuff made of seashells and coir. However, signature of this area is what is termed as the Bridal Trousseau, which is a betel pouch made of straw and decorated with flowers, a silver piece of jewelery, a casket and an areca-nut cracker.

Bhubaneswar: This is a haven for all ladies! Bhubaneswari fabrics are world class and the most famous among them is the ikkat printed ones, Sambalpuri and tussar. Typical to the region is the tarakash, which are intricate designs done by thin silver wires.

Bikaner: Typical to any Rajasthani city, Bikaner is known for its fabrics, shoes called jootis and numerous other trinkets. However, Bikaner’s most prominent item is the Gesso work, which is treated camel hide molded to create rugs or even photo frames.

Bundi: Another Rajasthani city, copies of Bundi murals created on silk and paper is most famous here. Similar to this is the Kota-Bundi miniatures that depict animals and natural scenes against a red background and are created on silk, paper and marble.

Lucknow: Undoubtedly a shopper’s paradise! Lucknow’s markets are synonymous with the exquisite zardosi and chikankari fabrics. Also famous here are the gold & silver jewelery with intricate filigree work and the Lucknavi paan-daan.

Jaipur: No doubt the most colorful city in Rajasthan, Jaipur is most famous for its lacquer jewelery, tie-n-dye fabrics and kundan work jewelery. Common buys here include traditional jewelery with meenakari work and block-printed garments. A rather interesting buy in Jaipur would be the beautiful and colourful puppets available at every market here.

Mysore: This city is famous for its beautifully woven silk saris, artifacts made of sandalwood and rosewood as well as stone carvings. Typical to this region is the sandalwood oil that is widely used in ayurveda.

Coonoor: This city comes up as a surprise in the number of articles that it offers. Of course, tea is the most common item, followed by linen, and the exquisite Toda Jewellery, which is locally made by the Toda tribe.

Dehradun: This hill town is famous for its numerous Tibetan influenced wares, its super quality Basmati Rice and the Kwality Stickjaws made of glucose, milkmaid and sugar essence, available is a number of shapes and varieties.

Nainital: The promenade lining the lake is filled with little shops selling a host of interesting wares. Typical to this region are crafted candles in various shapes and designs, local fresh fruit produce and Himalayan bags and scarves.

Ooty: This is the tea-producing heaven of India. Signature items here thus include huge varieties of tea as well as food spices and home-made yummy chocolates. A prominent buy here would be the items made by the Toda Tribe, which includes Toda shawls, Toda silver jewelery, aromatic oils and honey.

Cuttack: This is one of the best shopping destinations in Orissa. It’s most popular offerings include jewelery made with silver filigree work, brass tiepins and cufflinks and cotton and silk fabrics.

Shimla: A shopping hot-spot for all, popular shopping items here include Himachali wares, such as shawls and Kullu caps, carved wooden sticks and Buddhist Thangkas and Kangra Miniatures. The region is famous for its fruit orchards, hence fresh fruits and fruit products are available in a huge range.

Ajmer: This religious hot spot offers quite an interesting array of goodies. Signature buys here include traditional Rajasthani jootis and the fragrant attar, which is available in a number of varieties.

Kochi: A shopper’s land, Kochi or Cochin has a lot you can buy. Most popular buys here include spices, coffee, tea, carved wares, wall paintings, snake boat replicas and gold jewelery. A rather unusual item is the traditional Kerala Kathakali mask, which forms a great decoration.

Guwahati: Another favourite shopping spot for women, this region is best known for its variety of fabrics, including Assam Pat and Muga Silk saris. Guwahati is also known as a ground for betel nut cultivation; hence this is also available aplenty.

Puri: Puri is known for its variety of traditional arts that are available here. Typical to this area is a rather interesting souvenir called Pattachitra, which are paintings of Lord Krishna and Lord Jagannatha done on palm leaves.