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…
Must-see shopping in Tamil Nadu
-
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…
-
Chennai (Madras)
This fair-trade, nationwide chain sells stylishly contemporary village-made clothes and crafts. Perfect for picking up a kurta (long shirt with short/no…
-
Chennai (Madras)
On the ground floor of this popular cafe-and-boutique-complex, Anokhi has wonderful, East-meets-West, hand-block-printed clothes, bedding, bags and…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Going strong since 1960, the Fabindia chain stocks stunning handmade, fair-trade products made by villagers using traditional craft techniques, and…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
The kind of place where Indiana Jones gets the sweats, this antique shop sells sculptures, carved doors, wooden chests, paintings and furniture sourced…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Chennai's newest, most luxurious shopping mall hosts all the big-name Indian and international brands and chains, from Chanel and Zara to Bata, Lifestyle,…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Hidden away in a revamped warehouse surrounded by tropical greenery, Amethyst stocks luxury Indian fashion with ultracolourful contemporary flair…
-
Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
Run by Kotagiri's Keystone Foundation, this fair-trade, organic-oriented shop sells gorgeous tribal crafts and clothes (including Toda embroidery), and…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Founded in support of traditional village crafts, the nationwide Fabindia chain stocks elegant textiles, fabrics, linens and clothes in all kinds of…
-
Chennai (Madras)
In a beautiful old building, this popular outpost of the fair-trade, India-wide Fabindia chain sells all the usual attractively contemporary, village-made…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
A sophisticated Jaipur-born boutique popular for its beautiful, bold block-printed garments with a traditional-turns-modern twist, and gorgeous colourful…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Breezy, boho-chic, block-printed dresses, skirts, trousers and crop-tops in fun-but-fashionable geometric patterns (all handmade at Auroville) sit side-by…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Tucked inside the ever-popular Chamiers shopping-and-coffee complex, Anokhi deals in gorgeous, well-priced, East-meets-West, hand-block-printed clothes…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Elegant Amethyst Room brings a colourful upmarket twist to the Chamiers-complex shopping scene with its beautiful Indian-design couture.
-
Chennai (Madras)
Colourful handicrafts and home-decor trinkets, including bedspreads, cushions, incense, scented candles and handmade-paper notebooks, all from Auroville,…
-
Chennai (Madras)
One of Chennai's bigger branches of this much-loved fair-trade fashion, accessories and homewares brand, a bit out of the way in the southeast of the city.
-
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
Stylish jewellery, fabrics, cards and more, at reasonable prices, made by and benefiting marginalised village women around Tamil Nadu.
-
Coonoor
Beautiful fair-trade local tribal crafts, clothes, fabrics and notebooks, plus organic wild honey, nuts, chocolates, soaps and teas.
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Perfect for browsing through Auroville-made crafts: jewellery, pottery, clothing, shawls, handmade cards and herbal toiletries.
-
The Western Ghats
The ecofriendly Keystone Foundation's shop has goodies for picnics (local chocolates, wild honey) plus lovely tribal crafts.
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
An endless array of incense, perfumed candles, essential oils and other scented trinkets, made by Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
-
Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
K Mahaveer Chand has been selling particularly beautiful Toda tribal and silver jewellery for nearly 50 years.
-
Chennai (Madras)
For the ultimate in India-chic interior design, glitzy Good Earth has everything from scented candles, gorgeously embroidered bedspreads and floral…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Attached to the Isha Yoga Center and its healthy Yogi's Belly Cafe, this bohemian little boutique is full of wonderful handmade jewellery, organic soaps,…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Sprawling across an old Tamil house, Holi is a delightful, eclectic jumble of spruced-up vintage furniture, local artwork and Banjara embroidery. The…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Reliable modern bookshop stocking English-, Indian- and Tamil-language fiction and nonfiction, kids' books, magazines, Lonely Planet guides and other…
-
Chennai (Madras)
This fair-trade, India-wide brand specialises in fashion, accessories and homewares made from fun-patterned Indian fabrics, including stylish kurtas,…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Smart bookshop with an excellent collection of English, Indian and Tamil fiction and nonfiction, India travel books and Lonely Planet guides. Also at…
-
Chennai (Madras)
India's oldest mall is significantly downmarket from Chennai's other shopping centres, but has many smaller, cheaper craft and souvenir shops. It feels a…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
High-end bazaar-chic fashion (with lots of organic cotton) graces the ground floor of this glitzy boutique; upstairs, you'll find wood-carved furniture…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Housed in a beautiful building with an art deco facade and an interior of old-school wooden shelves, this is a classy place to browse saris (including …
-
Chennai (Madras)
This sparkly high-end boutique showcases neotraditional creations by cutting-edge Indian designers. Great for browsing, even if your budget doesn't allow…
-
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Established in Pondy in 1978, Hidesign sells elegantly made designer leather bags, briefcases, purses, wallets and belts, at reasonable prices, and has…
-
Chennai (Madras)
This is one of Chennai's best and most central shopping malls, full of major international and Indian apparel chains. The top-floor food court is good for…
-
Chennai (Madras)
This large branch of the fixed-price state-government handicrafts chain is good for everything from cheap technicolor plaster deities to a million-rupee…
-
Chennai (Madras)
Linen clothes, leather footwear and smart accessories for men, on the top floor of this bustling cafe-boutique complex.
-
Thanjavur (Tanjore)
Opposite the palace, Kandiya Heritage sells antiques, reproduction bronzes, brightly painted wooden horses and dolls, old European pottery and jewellery.
-
Chennai (Madras)
Quality candles, incense, perfumes, bags and beauty products, made by local village women in Auroville (near Puducherry), using eco-conscious techniques.
-
Chennai (Madras)
Attractively contemporary, village-made clothes and crafts from an eco-conscious nationwide chain; this is a small but decently stocked branch.
