Shopping in India
Shopping in India can be a delightful and thrilling experience where you will be able to buy just about anything you are looking for. There are an infinite variety of souvenirs to take home, from centuries old craft items, to the latest gizmos on the block. Amazing numbers of fantastic markets and bazaars bustle with local flavour and trade. In India you will find good value for money and the variety available would never cease to surprise you. Don’t be apprehensive, no compromise with quality, it is because of the cheap labour force in India that Indian merchandise comes at unbelievably low prices. The excellent value for money products are sure to have visitors looking for an extra suitcase to carry home.
Brassware, handicrafts, leather, silver and textiles are India's trademark handicrafts. The most popular destinations for shopping in India include the major cities of Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai (Bombay), Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad and Ahmedabad with numerous emporiums dotted around the city centres and outskirts. Jaipur is the crafts capital of the country with folk art, gems and jewellery and cottage industries abounding there. Jaipur is the right place for tie-and-dye fabrics and saris, and fine self-check-weave cotton saris from Kota as well as handcrafted jewellery, loose precious and semi-precious stones. The village of Sanganer is famous for producing handmade paper and blue pottery.
The city of Taj, Agra, echoes with a number of shopping spots that offers items of great delight ranging from miniatures of Taj to several leather items. Agra is also famous for its marble inlay, as well as zardozi-embroidered fabrics, leather goods, brass ware, carpets, and jewellery made out of semi-precious stones.
The south Indian influence can be well spectacled in the bazaars of Chennai. Here traditional buys make excellent souvenirs. Pattamara Mats, the palmyra-fibre handicrafts from Tirunellveli, bronze and brass castings and other traditional jewellery from Kumbakonam, metal works of Thanjavur, stone carvings from Mamallapuram, and silks from Kanchipuram are certain must looked out items of the land of temples, Chennai.
Ancient art and modern styles combine to create fascinating traditional jewellery in India. The vast variety will leave you delirious. Fashionably shaped funky silver is among the most popular materials for delicate ornaments all over India.
Below are some of the best buys:
Textile in India
India has a different and rich textile tradition. The source of Indian textiles can be traced to the Indus valley civilization. The people of this civilization used simple cotton for weaving their garments. One of India's main industries, silks, cottons, and wools rank amongst the best in the world. Of the silks the brocades from Varanasi are among the most famous variety. Rajasthan cotton with its famous "tie and die" design is usually brilliantly colourful, while Madras cotton is known for its attractive "bleeding" effect after a few washes. Kashmir sells beautiful woollens particularly shawls.
Jewellery in India
Indian jewellery is presented in a vast variety that suits the taste and the budget of people. People can decide from gold jewellery, silver, jewellery, designer wear, jewellery with stones, carved jewellery, etc. Indian silverwork is world-famous. Gems can be bought and mounted. Apart from diamonds, other stones include lapis lazuli, Indian star rubies, star sapphires, moonstones and aquamarine.
Paintings in India
Indian paintings traditions go back to antiquity, as is obvious from the murals of Ajanta, Ellora and other frescoes, the Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts, the Jain texts and the Deccan, Mughal and Kangra schools of miniature Indian painting.
Pottery in India
The art of handling of clay called Pottery was one of the original skills known to the Indians. From time immemorial, lumps of clay were hand -moulded to form toys and deities of worship.
Metal Craft in India
Some of the premium metal works is the use enamelled silver which is used for everything from pillboxes to figurines. Brass enamel is less expensive, and more widespread from tabletops to dancing peacocks, caparisoned elephants, dancing camels, swords and shields.
Wood Craft in India
Wooden Handicraft has been a style testimonial of the Indian community for centuries. It exhibits the tradition of exquisite natural beauty, elaborate woodwork for architectural purposes and the manufacture of furniture.
Floor Covering in India
Handicrafts like floor coverings and carpets are excellent items glorifying the rooms for centuries. Indian carpets are the most suitable for all purpose and need.
Furniture in India
Indian furniture is mainly made of wood; metal and cane are famous in the world for its exquisite craftwork. A stylish wooden chair and a bed with decorative artwork provide a royal look to the room.
Stone and Marble Inlay Work in India
The marvellous stone crafts of India is another form of Indian handicraft that brings the name of Indian artistry to the world fame. Indian artisans are skilled in making cut, shaped, and polished beautiful objects from odd blocks of stone and marble.
CARPETS
India has one of the world’s largest carpet industries, and many examples of her ancient and beautiful craft can be seen in museums throughout the world. Kashmir has a long history of carpet making, influenced by the Persians. Pure wool and woven silk carpets are exquisitely made, and can be bought for a fraction of the cost that one would pay in the west. Each region will have its own specialty; such as the distinctive, bright colored Tibetan rugs, available mainly in Darjeeling.
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