SHOPPING IN DELHI Location : Delhi Where To Go : Chandni Chowk, Dilli Haat, Connaught Place What To Shop : Attar, Zardozi, Trendy clothes Other Charms of Shopping : Leather accessories, Kashmiri carpets

Browse, Bargain, Buy... Is The Only Mantra

If you are a shoppaholic then the famous shopping places in Delhi are the place for you. Delhi has some of the major shopping centers and bazaars that attract the tourists from different parts of the world. Whether you are looking for fashionable jewelry, designer dresses, regional handicrafts, precious and semi-precious stones and all the modern and latest items and accessories, then Delhi markets has it all.

Shopping in Delhi Sarojini Nagar

Festive Celebrations People & Lifestyle Hanging Around in Delhi

Arts & Architecture Walking Around Old Delhi

Delhi Fashion Bonanza

It is of no surprise that a land that has imbibed the best of every civilisation, you will experience the epitome of a shopping holiday. The national capital, Delhi, is a place where you can find almost anything from anywhere in India. If you have your heart set on picking up a rare Kashmiri carpet or Buddhist antique for a bargain price, remember that some stores have been selling goods for hundreds of years and the best agents in the world have scoured them before you get here. Diversity is the word while shopping in Delhi, where you go depends on what you want. Really, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the whole of Delhi is a shopping mall, where every corner has something unique to offer.

Delhi Shopping Specialities

Caressing a fashionable mind-set and an urge to look good, makes Delhi an interesting place to shop for trendy outfits. From street markets where bargaining is a norm to slick shops selling multinational brands or designer wear..the colours, the prices, the endless bric a brac - the experience is eclectic, almost like a microcosm of India. The city is known for 'attar', an essential oil of flowers and herbs favoured by the aristocracy in Mughal times. Wrap yourself in the mindblowing aroma of Mughal days before you unleash yourself amidst the bubbling ambience of a hundred malls that pepper the cityscape. Freak around the colourful shops with a pouch of popcorn or enjoy a mug of cappuccino while watching a good Hindi or English movie.

Getting A Branded Tag

Start your Delhi shopping experience from the city centre, the bustling Connaught Place or CP as it is better known. Here you can find multinational brands to shops that have become institutions for the city, a place for personnal satisfaction. If you are looking for exclusive, exquisite, imaginative clothing - in Indian, Indo-Western or Western styles - head for South Extension, a twin market situated on either side of the busy Ring Road, 20 minutes from CP. Clothes and shoes are a highlight. Ansals Plaza is another shopping complex - very new and very slick - not quite in South Ex, but about 5 minutes away in Andrews Ganj, with its own parking, amphitheatra and hoardes of emporia. Clothes override everything, but there are also shoes, watches, handicraft, music and restaurants that add a superb finish to your Delhi shopping experience.

For Ethnic Shopping Ideas

Shopping in Delhi

If you are interested to buy interesting artefacts soaked in the memories of the bygone days, head for Old Delhi, that still reverberates with the Mughal aroma. A local resident would go here to get wholesale prices. A tourist - for the experience of a very old way of life. The buildings are ancient, the lanes intricate, and the accents of the people somewhat different. Flash your eyes with the glittering jewellery of Dariba Kalan, or the 'street of incomparable pearl'. Situated just south of Chandni Chowk, this place is famous for its ambrosial gold and silver jewelleries since the time of Shah Jahan. Come out of the spicy flavours of Kahri Baoli only to be greeted by the mind-blowing fragrance of 'attar', an essential oil of flowers and herbs favoured by the aristocracy in Mughal times. Pick up a colourful 'zardozi', an embroidery spun with gold and silver thread from Kinari Bazaar. This venerable Delhi craft is at home in the neighbouring labyrinthine alleys, where you can even see women working on wooden frames and creating magic out of it.

A Rural Shopping Extravaganza

Shopping in Delhi has yet another facet. While old villages have been swallowed up by the urban sprawl, they linger on in the weekly 'haat' in Delhi. In an urge to resurrect the forlorn rural shopping delight, Delhi Tourism has taken efforts to establish an enclosed square selling Indian ethnic crafts. More popular as a hangout joint among the locals, this 'Haat', situated opposite to INA market on Aurobindo Marg in South Delhi, is meant to evoke the atmosphere of a traditional village market that extends to a superb culinary delight. Rows of brick enclosures are occupied by craftsmen from different states who come here for a fortnight at a time. It's open everyday of the week from 11 am to 10 pm. Turn the wheels of your car towards Connaught Place, where you can visit the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, located on the corner of Janpath and Tolstoy Marg. Although it's not the cheapest place to shop, the prices are fixed at a reasonable level and the quality of the goods is among the best you will find.

The WorldMarts of The Walled City

Shopping in Delhi

Delhi also boasts of curious corners that sell myriad shopping pleasures, hidden up in dark sleeves. Foreign goods sit cheek by jowl to national items, and tourists often get a chance to narrow their dilemma. On the street there are many booksellers and news stands, as well as Rajasthani women selling pieces of brightly embroidered cloth, often laced with mirrorwork. Along Janpath are a number of permanant stalls and small shops known as the Tibetan Market. These line the pavement and are run by Tibetan refugees and Kashmiris selling carpets, jewellery and curious antiques. Also worth a visit is the supposedly air-con and slightly run down Palika Bazaar. This utterly confusing underground market with its 400 odd shops is a good place to buy electronic gadgets and cheap leather goods. For a broader Delhi shopping experience, visit the bustling Karol Bagh market, known all over the country for its multi-dimensional range of electronic and automobile products.

Delhi Shopping Tips

Commutation within the city is quite easy, thanks to the large number of plying options including buses, auto-rickshaws, taxis and the newer metro rail services. When shopping for handicrafts, take extreme care with the commission merchants - guys who hang around waiting to pick you up and cart you off to their favourite dealers - where whatever you pay will have a hefty margin built into it to pay their commission. Stories about 'my family's place', 'my brother's shop' or 'special deal at my friend's place' are just stories and nothing more. the cardinal rule when purchasing goods in delhi is to bargain and bargain hard, although this doesn't apply at the government emporiums where prices ae fixed. Still, with all these shopping strategies tucked in your mind, you will have a idiosyncratic sense of buying, when in Delhi. Bargain is an enthusiast job and believe us, requires good communication skills. So Good Luck for your Delhi shopping tour!