Pashminas, and relaxing hotel near station

kreut

Hello!

After having a bit of a time being ripped off in Delhi on my first visit ( ) I was hoping that someone could help me before I return in a few days. In particular, I'm looking to buy a pashmina for my girlfriend. What should I pay for a high quality/medium quality pashmina? And...any advice on haggling?


Is there a hotel that offers "day-rates"? I'm going to be in Delhi for around 7 hours before I take an international flight back home. I'd love a place where I could leave my bags, shower, and relax before making the long trip home. Any suggestions on something that is relatively close to the New Delhi train station and less than 1200Rps? (I'll be in Delhi from noon until 7pm at which point I'm off to the airport) which have decent showers is close to the New Delhi station?

Thank you,

Eric

machadinha

I think Main Bazaar (right opposite from the station, in the area called Paharganj) will be full of such places, you can just walk up there and take your pick really. Or, have you checked out the Hotel Listings for some suggestions?

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machadinha

Welcome to IndiaMike, btw. Can't help you with your question, sorry, others undoubtedly can. Have you searched the site for pashmina(s)?

kreut

I think that Paharanj is closer to the Old Delhi station...but I could easily take the metro there. And, thank you for the "hotels listing" feature. Very helpful.

kreut

No...I'll give it a shot. I'm just a newbie.

machadinha

No, it's really smack-bang right outside New Delhi Railway Station.* (Unless you accidentally get out at the back end, called Ajmeri Gate I believe. This is where the policed pre-paid taxi stand used to be, don't know if it still is. If you end up here, retrace your steps to go out the other end, there is/used to be a fly-over over the tracks here to help you do so.)

Coming out the right end, there's a busy street crossing sideways, across which Main Bazaar stretches out in front of you. This is more-or-less what you should be seeing, it's the start of it: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...93/ppuser/5654

* Although the area as such may well extend towards Old Delhi yes. The two are less than a half-hour's walk apart anyway I'd say, they probably spill over into one another. I don't know about precise neighborhood boundaries here, if there are any.

nb Another link that may help you find your way around the station: http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/tou..._idx-1.htm#How. What you see here is again the (right) Paharganj side of things, Main Bazaar starts across the road.

LittleSparrow

Pashmina is a very expensive handloom stuff...
Try govt authorised showrooms opposite Hanuman Mandir in CP.

nayan

A good quality pashmina starts from Rs10000-15000 and upwards.

A "semi-pashmina" starts from 4000-5000 and upwards.

Unless yu are a real expert its not possible to judge quality. You will have to take the shopkeepers word.

machadinha

I guess that makes sense yes (btw Kreut, CP = Connaught Place, lest you miss this. It's about the same distance from Main Bazaar as Old Delhi, but going south instead of north.)

All I know is quality is hard to recognize to a layman indeed, and the real thing doesn't come cheaply.

These government stores (often known as "emporia" or emporiums I think, is that correct? You'll find many around CP/Janpath, they're often dedicated to one state and then go by that name: Rajasthan State Emporium, etc. Note that not all emporia will be govt.-run or otherwise controlled though I believe, a shop may just call itself such if I'm not mistaken) use fixed prices, so they're unlikely to get you the very lowest price, as there's no haggling. Conversely, if you're not so savvy about the market, they're a good bet to get something of quality for a reasonable price I think, and there won't be all the usual pressure (personnel may offer to assist, that doesn't mean they're touting their wares though. This is just the common way to do things.) Also handy if you're short of time I imagine. If you don't know what you're buying, you may well find something much cheaper elsewhere -- only to realize later it's mediocre at best, if not just junk.

Scandojazzbuff

Unless you are very familiar with Pashmina, it's impossible to tell what quality and what one should be paying. You will never get a straight answer from any of these shop keepers.

Keeping that in mind, you have to resist the hard sell and go into several shops and compare what they say with the prices they offer. The 2 most popular sizes are shawl and stole. I forget which one is larger, but, for the smaller, you should be able to get a 50% pash/50% silk for less than 4000 INR.

My advice is to buy something you like and don't worry too much about the percentage of pashmina. And, forget about them selling you 'Shartoush', which is the rarest of wool, banned worldwide, and, insanely expensive. Ask the shopkeepers about it. Their eyes will light up!

sannna

I don't know anything about Pashmina.. but asking for banned things, scando, doesn't seem the best advice to me. There must be a reason why it is banned.

If it is to save the animal from extinction, creating the perception that there is a demand for it (even if you don't actually intend to buy it), may have consequences down the line that you might not want it to have...

And.. the pre-paid taxi booth is at the Paharganj/Main Bazar side of the New Delhi Railwaystation nowadays.. (Although when you ask for it many a taxiwhallah will still tell you it is closed, doesn't exist etc...)

Slightly more upmarket hotels are found at Arakashan Rd. You exit the ND RS at the same side, but instead of crossing the street, you take a right. Walk along this road, walk under the bridge, go a bit further and the street will be on your left. At the corner there is a Hotel Raja, and the rest of the street is filled with hotels. It isn't more then a ten minute walk from the RS.

Amalfi

The Pashmina as we know in India is a very delicate woven pure wool shawl with traditional Kashmiri motifs .

However , Pashmina has now become a generic term used in the west for any ladies wrapper and comes in various blends of Viscose(Rayon) ,Silk and Wool. I am assuming that the OP is referring to these .Most of the pashminas exported abroad from India and being retailed by major US and European brand names are in fact Viscose , Silk and Blends sometimes with wool.

Janpath market in Connaught Place has lots of stores selling these export quality “Pashminas ”, however most viscose pashminas are passed of as silk and charged accordingly because it has similar handfeel and luster and very difficult to distinguish even by experts. A Rayon Pashmina of stole size should cost about Rs 5-600 max depending on design and you will get silk pashminas for 1000-1500 Rs.

2 distinguishable features between Rayon and silk is Silk fibres when burnt will give a characteristic smell of burning hair and burns slowly. Rayon burns faster and has a woody smell. Also , Rayon fibres after wetting in your mouth can be very easily broken with your teeth ie; it has poor strength when wet (this is the most common method to check genuine silk/ rayon). Also , Viscose / rayon fabics will have much better fall and drapability.

Since , you have been duped before , I suggest you go to Dilli Haat which is 6-7 kms from New Delhi Railway station. All stuff there will be genuine and the prices will be reasonable. Pick the genuine silk one there and pick a few “fake silk ’pashminas from Janpath Market. Don’t pay anything above 500 Rs , you will automatically get the rayon ones.

The reason I suggest the Rayon Pashminas is because these are available in more contemporary designs and colors and can be used with everyday wear whereas the silk ones are more traditional and are occasion wears. Also remember , Rayon blends have much superior drapability and there is nothing “fake” about it unless you want to pass it off as silk.

wonderwomanusa

The Central Cottage Emporium (government run and no bargaining) had an exhibit of pashminas in all grades and sizes, and the clerk appeared to be able to explain the differences.

In the end, however, I bought shawls from Kullu, which are made of "merino" wool, come in bright colors and classic designs, and are much more practical for my purposes.

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Haylo

Sanna, I am sure you have misunderstood his intent.

His advice was to buy something you personally like and forget about any idea of them selling you any "Shartoush", because they won't.

Edited to add: WonderWomanUSA, good tip. Merino wool is gorgeous, I used to have a favourite jumper of merino wool, and shall definitely watch out for those shawls.

wonderwomanusa

Haylo, you can find Kullu shawls easily at the Himchal goverment emporium at Baba Karak Singh Marg. In the winter, sometimes the Tibetan sweater people have them at their street stall on Janpath. Check prices at the emporium first!