Delhi
Khan Market is Delhi's most-upmarket shopping enclave, the most expensive place to rent a shop in India, and is favoured by the elite and expats. Its…
Must-see shopping in India
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Central Cottage Industries Emporium
New Delhi
This government-run multilevel store is a wonderful treasure trove of fixed-price, India-wide handicrafts. Prices are higher than in the state emporiums,…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
It's worth popping in to this high-end traditional garment shop to see the space itself, a gorgeous, cavernous, rose-oil-scented stunner chock-full of…
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New Delhi
Crafts, curios, textiles and homewares from the Crafts Council of India, designed with flair and using traditional techniques but offering some…
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Agra
Some of the pieces on display at this renowned marble shop are simply stunning (ask to see the 26 masterpieces). While it's more expensive than some shops…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Behold Bandra's – and Mumbai's – coolest shop, featuring exclusive graphic art and illustrations sourced from a global army of Indian artists. You'll find…
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Kolkata (Calcutta)
It’s worth facing the soul-crushing 1970s architecture for Dakshinapan’s wide range of government emporia, which brings together a mind-boggling artisanal…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Mumbai's coolest design shop has thankfully arrived in South Mumbai! Fittingly, the Pop Art cool kid from Bandra has set up shop in Kala Ghoda, where its…
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Pune
This craft revival project cofounded by four women champions the dying Indian art of handcrafted metalware from artisans in Pune, the Konkan Coast and…
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Kolkata (Calcutta)
Some of Kolkata's most exquisite handmade saris are sold at this speciality boutique. There's also a fair smattering of semiprecious jewellery, and an…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Indian Hippy will put your name in lights, with custom-designed Bollywood posters hand-painted on canvas by the original studio artists (a dying breed…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Chor Bazaar is known for antiques, though be wary of reproductions. The main area of activity is Mutton St, where shops specialise in these ‘antiques’ and…
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Chandigarh
Named after the birth year of Guru Nanak (the founder of the Sikh faith), this funky independent clothing store sells fabulously colourful scarves, shawls…
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Bengaluru (Bangalore)
A great choice for top-quality silk saris, blouses, fabrics and men’s shirts, this fine store has been in business for over 70 years and has something to…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Kitschy, design-y goods such as stylish embroidered T-shirts, funky coffee mugs and coasters, and superhip graphic art, including beaded embroidered art…
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Bengaluru (Bangalore)
Great little bookshop selling new and secondhand, cult and mainstream books and comics. Good for titles on southern India and run by informed, helpful…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Ethically sourced cotton and silk fashions and homewares in everybody's favourite modern-meets-traditional Indian shop.
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Varanasi
If the deluge of traveller enthusiasm is anything to go by, this is one of the most trustworthy, nonpushy shops in India. Indeed it is one of the best…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Worth a visit as much for the spectacle if not to buy, this near-century-old traditional oil shop still hand-presses its medicinal, cooking and massage…
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Darjeeling
The Darjeeling area produces arguably the world's finest teas and Nathmulls is one of the best retailers, with more than 50 varieties. Expect to pay ₹200…
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Gangtok
This boutique tea store stocks a fine selection of beautifully packaged teas, notably Temi (Sikkimese) and various flushes of premium Darjeeling. A calm,…
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Gangtok
The city’s best-stocked bookshop, Rachna doubles as an alternative cultural hub with talks, events, screenings and an excellent cafe (Temi tea ₹50, coffee…
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Leh
Fill up drinking-water bottles here (₹7 per litre). Dzomsa also offers an environmentally friendly laundry service (₹95 per kg, same day service if given…
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Uttarakhand
The swarming, congested (but relatively traffic-free area) streets of Paltan Bazaar, running south from the clock tower, is a popular spot for an evening…
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Chennai (Madras)
Set up in 1928, the enormous, supercolourful granddaddy of Chennai silk shops sparkles with wedding saris and rainbows of Kanchipuram silks, as well as…
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Chennai (Madras)
Open since 1844, this grand white building is reckoned to be India's oldest bookshop. It has a brilliant English-language selection, including travel and…
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Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
The retail outlet of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Hansiba sells colourful woven and embroidered shawls, saris, beautifully embroidered…
New Delhi
Handily in a row are these regional treasure-filled emporiums. They may have the air of torpor that often afflicts governmental enterprises, but shopping…
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Delhi
Across the road from the government housing of the Lodi Colony, this is a long strip of small boutiques selling homewares and clothes. Quality clothing…
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Kolkata (Calcutta)
This boutique sells tasteful ethno-chic garments made from hand-dyed and hand-printed fabrics. Creations featuring Gujarati block prints seem to be the…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
Under the discerning eye of gourmet entrepreneur Samyukta Nair, this Colaba concept store occupies a late-19th-century art deco building chock-full of…
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Jaipur
This state-government-run emporium, opposite Ajmer Gate, is packed with quality Rajasthani artefacts and crafts, including enamelwork, embroidery, pottery…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
One of Mumbai's oldest shops and born of a dying breed, this family-run retailer kicked off in 1918. Today, friendly grandson Paresh still hawks the…
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Jodhpur
The most famous spice shop in Jodhpur (and believe us, there are lots of pretenders), MV Spices has five small branches around town, including one at…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
One of Mumbai's hottest new brands, this small showroom, overseen by Nandi the Holy Cow in logo, art and design, is an interior-design oasis in Mangaldas…
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Kolkata (Calcutta)
India's top consumer line of ethno-chic dresses and Indo-Western apparel has one of its city stores in this central location. Apart from garments, there's…
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Kolkata (Calcutta)
Very hipster, very chic, yet unbelievably affordable. Housed in a tastefully renovated mansion, this boutique specialises in a delightful collection of…
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Kolkata (Calcutta)
This tiny tea boutique is one of the best places in Kolkata to pick up some delectable Darjeeling leaves. Dolly, a veteran tea taster who owns the place,…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
This trendy, bespoke shirt tailor for men and women will outfit you in some seriously cool threads for a fraction of prices back home. You can customise…
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Jaipur
Anokhi is a classy, upmarket boutique selling stunning high-quality textiles such as block-printed fabrics, tablecloths, bed covers, cosmetic bags and…
