tips for shopping in India

[gullianirichi]

hi,

I was looking for tips for shopping in India and ideas on popular items most tourists pick up at an Indian bazaar? where is the best place to get genuine Indian carpets?

[Ruby]

hi there,

My main tip would be to pack light when traveling in India so you can bring back home as much as you can. Shopping in India is so cheap that you won't stop shopping for local items.

Spices and Indian tea are very popular items to bring back home, as well as ,woodwork, pottery, and leather goods like handmade sandals, wallets, or handbags.

For carpets, Darjeeling and Varanasi are popular places to find the famous Tibetan rugs as well as Persian rugs.

On a final note, just like any flea market in the world, you need to remember to keep your own handbags and wallets secure while walking about.

[Chitra0987]

where can I find best handicrafts?? I cherish them most beacuse it keeps reminding you that no matter how much we advance, hand made things always have a special impotance attached to them.

[peterlee]

there is lots of things in India to carry back home but for a truly Indian souvenir, take home a sari, which are are really popular in the US. Saris are made from either cotton or silk so you can wear them anytime of the year.

also don't forget to buy teas and spices, which are best bought in the main growing areas of Darjeeling, Assam and Kerala. If you don’t want to carry it around, buy it at Mittal’s in Delhi before you leave the country.

[gaurav467]

Bargaining is a very important, and even expected, part of shopping at markets in India. Here's the best way to go about it to make sure you don't pay too much at India's markets.

To get a feel for how much goods should cost, visit some fixed price stores first. In street markets, as a general rule, don't pay more than half the initial asking price of any items. Sometimes it's possible to pay less, especially if you buy more than one item.

[travellingslacker]

local souvernirs and artefacts are very easily available everywhere in major tourist palces...
but they norally quote very high price at the beginning... if you show no interest then they will autometically lower it...

[PamelaWalker]

You should be good enough in bargaining. It is must in India.

[shius-lie2]

saris are the things to shop for in India. You can pick up a cheap sari for only 150 rupees ($3.50), however you’ll need to be prepared to pay much more to get a quality item. Purchasing a beautiful sari in India is still inexpensive compared to Western prices though.

[keralahmart]

Go to Kashmir I guess there is the way where you can get all blanket and carpets

[shootandscore]

When travelling to India be sure to come with a light bag as you will find a lot of things worth buying. The gold jewellery of India is very famous due to intricate and delicate work on it. Hand ground spices are a must while shopping. The shops are loaded with hand-crafts and hand made rugs. Try to look for the shops that offer quality stuff at low rates. Bargaining also helps you save your pocket from unnecessary expenses.