shopping in india |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 13:35
| #1 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: melbourne australia
Posts: 429
| shopping in india this may be a taboo topic in some respects, i know you're not supposed to visit India for anything as shallow as shopping. but after seeing what felt like every temple on the face of the planet, our eyes turned to some of the bargains on offer.. some of the best: 1. The Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre in Darjeeling. 2. Textiles in Rajastan. (particularly Jaisalmer and Jaipur) 3. Govt. Emporiums in general most of the stuff we bought was hand made locally (or as best we could ascertain anyway), although of course you still buy through a local wholesaler/retailer who presumably will take most of the cut. |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 15:57
| #2 |
| Maha Guru Member  Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK
Posts: 2,134
| Why not shopping,,,,,,,,,, I would have thought it's quite a good reason to visit India. These days people go for a lot less of a reason. Some people go just to work there having previously no interest whatsoever in India or her customs & culture. Others go for just a 2 week package trip to escape from their 9-5existance. Others just go to tick that particular box of countries they've visited, never to return. But India has a special charm resulting in just a few of these people coming back again & again for a far deeper reason than to just work there or to tick that box. So really shopping is just a reminder of & another way of taking a little bit of India back home with you until you can come again,,,,,,,,,, |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 16:34
| #3 |
| Maha Guru Member  Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,727
| julesa,just curious ,what was being sold in the Tibetan Refugee self help centre.?.I hve not been there and hence the question. Hopefully,your shopping will make you love India more and you can come back soon. |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 17:25
| #4 |
| This is just a cameo appearance  Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,260
| Shopping is a wonderful reason to come to India, and a wonderful thing to do while you are here  Not everything in India is 'spiritual', or whatever, and not everyone would be interested in it even if it was! Yeah! Give me Indian Shopping |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 19:11
| #5 |
| Account Closed by User's Request  Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 6,009
| Bargains galore : Silver Textiles Jeans Stonework Fretwork Brass Pots and Pans Kitchen untensils Medicines Body Products Glasses spices music books (computer geek books are a real bargain) woolens No doubt Nick H can add to the list Shopping in India, me .................never!! |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 19:17
| #6 |
| Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 6,009
| Very much ON TOPIC as well, any chance of moving it to Yak Yak Yak. Interesting topic that many will enjoy I think!! |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 20:37
| #7 |
| This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,260
| Oh, certainly! I hadn't noticed the forum  Jewellery, silks.... |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 22:06
| #8 |
| Account Closed on User's Request  Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston
Posts: 833
| How do you distinguish government emporiums from private ones with similar names, any suggestions. (One is if any tout offers you to take to government emporium, be assured it is not government emporium.) |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 22:24
| #9 |
| This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,260
| The private ones are not necessarily bad! One possible indication of a government-run shop here in Chennai is that the staff sit behind the counter any, maybe, glance at you occasionally. I took a couple of passing-through IMers to the wonderful Anna Salai Khadi Gramadyog Bhavan here in Chennai a few months back. They found the complete absence of power selling very refreshing Bronzes... there's another item for the list. Tiles Bathroom fittings ...Oh heck: should try harder to keep my house-fitting out of this   |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 22:31
| #10 |
| Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 6,009
| Totally agree, my wife and I have a pact if we ever win enough money to own a house! We'll furnish and fit in from India. For design it's got Europe beat hands down. Dunno if they function or not though? I agree goverment emporiums are not the be all and end all of bargains or indeed quality. Be prepared to invest time when shopping in India lots of it. Look at Nick H, he had to move there, such was the impact of the "Indian shopping experience" on his life |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 22:38
| #11 |
| Naan.tering Nabob  Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap
Posts: 6,378
| The "other" non-government emporiums, usually run by Kashmiri's (but not exclusively), are often overly expensive and depend on their clientele throught a tout and taxis delivery/commission based system BUT can have some unique and interesting nuggets and if money is not a real object may be worth a browse. I bought a wool on wool embroidered "mughal style" blanket of superb quality and craftsmanship at one of those spots .... and actually went back for another but was told it was a special "one-up" ... and never did find another one .... anywhere.
__________________ What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes  Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions? |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 22:43
| #12 |
| Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 6,009
| Yep Gems and bargains to be had all over peakXV worth devoting time to if your looking for best price or that hidden Gem. The big goverment emporium on Janpath is a good way to get aquainted with what's on offer. Three floors of some very pretty stuff. I didn't strike me as cheap but that may have been down to the quality of the items on show!! I'm not a big shopper, so hard for me to comment on price variables! I let our rickshaw driver take us to a place bear the red fort just off the Book market Duryaganj. I wanted to see what the reward for him was for this kind of touting!! The place had some nice stuff and we bought a few bits and bobs. His reward was like a gift voucher, he saved up x amount of these and he could then cash them in for electronic goods or mobile telephones!! Even touting is getting more high tech these days, He seemed very happy and it only took half an hour!! |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 22:53
| #13 |
| Account Closed on User's Request Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston
Posts: 833
| Kashmiri touts are so sleek, it took me a while to realize I had been hoodwinked |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 23:00
| #14 |
| Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap
Posts: 6,378
| The government emporiums are a must first stop for the newbie shopper to India. At the Janpath emporium there are always as many Delhi-ites as tourists in their multi-level shop which in it's own right speaks of the quality, the price is middle of the road, and the atmosphere and climate sans stress or pressure of any kind. The State Emporiums on Baba Karak Singh become more diversified in their items. The vendors are extremely knowledgable on handicrafts sold in that state ... and will happily provide you with any information/addresses/manufacturers of any product that you are in further quest of. What better way to start your Indian shopping journey!? |
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Feb 11th, 2007, 23:07
| #15 |
| Account Closed on User's Request Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston
Posts: 833
| Kashmiri touts who sold me shawls told me the history of craftsman who actually worked on craft will be mailed to me and this will become collector's item. After 20 years I am still waiting. |
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