Iconic Indian markets which you should definitely visit

Love it or hate it. Do it in an instant, or procrastinate till you’re ready, shopping is something you just can’t say no to. We’re humans and we need innumerable things to live through the day. Doesn’t that make markets pivotal to our lives? Here’s your guide to the most iconic Indian market, where all the avid shoppers love to splurge.

Commercial Street, Bengaluru

From well recognized brands to India-made articles, there’s hardly anything that you can’t find at the Commercial Street of Bengaluru. It’s no less than heaven for girls. Are you a makeup enthusiast looking for imported cosmetics? Head to MAS collection at Mahaveer Mall. Got plans to redecorate your home with soft furnishings? This mall has nice stores like Praachi’s, Hue Coast, Zeba, and Sheen Decor which have a great selection of tapestry and soft furnishings.

While we’re talking about home decor, it’s a must to mention Asiatic Arts and Crafts. Find decorative items that look like valuable antiques at very affordable prices. 

At V.R. Plaza, L.B. Prakash, and Ibrahim Saheb Street, you can find yourself the perfect ethnic outfit for weddings and festivals. Since accessorizing is always a must, there are great stores for bags, clutches, and imitation jewellery as well. While Dazzle is great for bags of all kinds, there’s an entire jeweller’s street dedicated to imitation jewellery.

After bargaining all day and carrying the heavy shopping bags, once you’re exhausted, you can go on a hogging spree at the street food stalls. From scrumptious South Indian cuisine, to chatpata chaats, it’s indeed possible to answer your cravings at this phenomenal Indian market.

The Commercial Street of Bangalore can be found in the Central Business District, Tasker Town, Shivaji Nagar. Most of the shops are generally open from 10:30 am till 8:00 pm. 

The far-famed Indian markets @ the Capital City

There’s one city in India where there’s nothing that you cannot find. That’s the capital city, New Delhi. Delhi has the complete markets dedicated to one, and only one kind of products. Got a wedding in the family? There’s Chandini Chowk! Want some designer-wear? How about the Shahpur Jat Village? Is that cool or is that cool? 

Read about some of our favourite places to indulge in a shopping spree here:

Sarojini Nagar, Delhi

Looking for things in vogue and don’t want to shell a fortune? We feel you! At Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar, you can find just the right stuff without having to spend a lot of money. 

From gowns that you can wear to the IIFA awards, to latest styles that you see those mannequins sporting, Sarojini Nagar has inexpensive versions of everything. 

The affordability of apparel makes this market the top choice of 80% of Indian fashion influencers, as repetition of outfits is a strict no-no for them. 

On Mondays, their prices hit rock bottom. You can find tops starting at INR 50, and decent denims at INR 100-150.

Janpath, Delhi

Find affordable accessories to jazz up your most mainstream apparel, or statement handicrafts to decorate your abode. Delhites love to thrift shop at this street, cuz’ the stuff is attractive, and good to use for a short period of time. 

Want to know the recommendations of Delhi’s locals? 

Trendy Winterwear: Does fashionable winterwear that doesn’t keep you warm disappoint you as well? At the Tibetan market of Delhi’s Janpath, you can find gorgeous trench coats, fleece ponchos, puffy jackets, that will help you keep your style game up, and at the same time, save you from the falling temperature. 

Home Decor: You can find wonderfully plush rugs with barely noticeable defects (if any) at unbelievably low prices, at Janpath’s Tibetan market. If boho is your aesthetic, you’ll absolutely love the wall tapestry that you can find at numerous small stalls across the market. 

Do keep your eyes open for the Chinese lamps, brass artefacts, and silver jewelery with semi-precious stones. 

Latest apparel: Fashion changes each passing day. Staying in vogue is such a challenge, right? Not for those lucky Delhi folks! They’ve got the option to purchase knock-offs at throwaway prices, sport them for as long as they like (or as long as they last), and dispose without a worry in the world. The quality of stuff found this iconic Indian marketplace is reportedly much better than things you find at Sarojini Nagar. 

Chandni Chowk, Delhi

Chandni Chowk is primarily famous for designer ethnicwear. It’s nothing less than heaven to those who’ve got a wedding in their family. There are innumerable designers, exhibiting their unique and stunning collections of wedding-wear.

Want to know what other things you can find at the oldest market of Delhi? There’s a street called Nayi Sadak for books and stationery, Chawri Bazaar for invitations and other paper items, Bhagirath Palace for lamps, chandeliers, and other ornamental electronics. 

The streets inside are unimaginably narrow, and remain super-crowded even on weekdays. To move from one market to another, you can hop onto an e-rickshaw, or an autorickshaw. Once you’re all worn out from shopping, you can eat till your heart’s full at the oh-so-famous Paranthe Wali Gali. 

Shopping at this market is tiresome, but totally worth it! 

Our very important tip: Bargain as assertively as you can!

New Market, Kolkata

Every imaginable thing that you can expect to find in a market is available at the New Market area of Kolkata. It’s a one-stop destination for every shopper’s needs. Extravagant or under a strict budget, whatever your shopping plans are, this cosmic Indian market has got you covered.

The New Market has close to 2000 shops, and several kiosks, selling everything from a needle to Kolkata’s exclusive glassware.

Some of the must-buys to collect from this Indian market are sarees of Bengali weaves such as Jamdani, Tangail, Dhakai, Baluchari, and Tant, and the silverware.

It’s an unspoken rule to visit Nahoum & Sons after an exhaustive shopping spree. Ask us what’s that? It’s an old fashioned confectionery that sells fruit cakes, tarts, and other delicacies from the vintage era. 

Cute Little Indian Market: Police Bazar, Shillong

The Police Bazar is the it-spot of Shillong. It’s a place that comes with a promise of entertainment for everyone. The cutesy hill-top market has everything, from big hotels to stay in, to shops selling top-notch fashion apparel. There are plenty of eateries selling a large variety of scrumptious delicacies, especially, the oriental ones. 

The street vendors at this unique Indian market sell the most beautiful and neat bamboo artefacts and great winterwear like shawls, socks, and sweaters at dirt cheap prices. One can also find some fashionables smuggled from Thailand. 

If you’re one of those who doesn’t pick stuff from the streets, the police bazar also has some biggg stores selling imported outfits. Head to Style Craft, Broadway Collection, In-Fashion, or RAPs Apparel. The local fashionistas love these outlets.

Colaba Causeway, Mumbai

Mumbaikars have their own version of Delhi’s Janpath. So if you are closer to the city, Colaba Causeway is one Indian market that you should definitely have on your list. One can easily find branded clothes and accessories, as well as goodies from the thrift stores at Colaba Causeway. 

Apart from the Mumbai folks, one can also find throngs of tourists from abroad walking around, trying their best to bargain, or simply trying accessories and apparel over here. 

Another activity that the people indulge in at this picturesque lane is photography. How can you not grab your cameras when you’re standing on a street surrounded with buildings constructed during the British raj, right? 

Got plans of chilling at this boisterous area of Mumbai? There are numerous cafes and restaurants that serve unimaginably delicious regional delicacies. 

The market opens up at 9:00 am everyday, and is open till 10:00 pm. However, it closes an hour early on Tuesdays. 

Jew Town, Kochi

Kochi’s Jew Town market is a delightful treat for the lovers of everything antique. This is where a large community of Jews resided before taking off to Israel. Want to decorate your home with some European, Jewish, Arabic or Chinese artefacts? Well, this is the place you do not want to miss. 

The market is brimming with stores that sell lamps, chests, furniture, show-pieces, and several other decoratives that look authentically vintage. A few of the highly recommended items are the pungent spices, wooden cases to store your spices in, and the authentic vaarpus (vessels).

Practice your bargain game well before visiting this Indian market.

Hazratganj, Lucknow

In the heart of Lucknow lies the famous Hazratganj market. It has been modeled keeping London’s Queen Steet in mind. Following Jaipur’s suit, all the buildings in this area have been painted in the same colour. When in the area, do check out Lucknow’s exclusive chikankari suits, kurtis, dupattas, and if you can find any, sarees.

This iconic Indian market also has in store a tremendously good book heaven for the voracious readers. Visit the Ram Advani Book Store, that has been in the area for over 60 years now.

Do historic buildings fascinate you as much as they fascinate me? The market is also home to a jaw-droppingly gorgeous 18th century English style house that still has a few towers and the boundaries intact.

Serenity Beach Bazaar, Pondicherry

A true shopaholic can reach the epitome of peace upon combining a serene beach with a market. The serenity beach bazaar at Pondicherry (Puducherry) is set up on the weekends, from 10:00 am in the morning till 5:00 pm in the evening. 

Curious to know what you can find at this one of a kind Indian market? There are local artisans showcasing their handicrafts at small stalls. One can buy bags, ceramics, jewellery, and other accessories from them, and help them sustain. These products indeed make great trinkets to take back home. Don’t forget to try the food at the makeshift shacks and stalls once your shopping is done.

For your entertainment, there are fun activities like live music, yoga camp, etc. They also have kids’ playzones and art workshops to keep your little ones busy, while you shop busily at this chirpy Indian market.

Planning to visit Pondicherry? We’ve got some cool stay options at great prices! 

Johri Bazaar, Jaipur

Inside the walls of old Jaipur, there are age-old Indian markets and homes, all painted in terracotta pink. The perfectly symmetrical buildings of this intelligently planned city make a splendid sight. One of the markets in the old city is known as the Johri Bazaar or the jewelers’ market. As the name suggests, the street has hundreds of jewellery shops. Be it in gold, silver, platinum, or simply some junk jewellery, you can find everything at this iconic indian market. When it comes to design, even the vendors on the street can’t be underestimated. 

The collection is not just limited to jewellery anymore. One can buy authentic rajasthani handicrafts like the puppet couple, the colourful umbrellas, wall tapestries, mirrors, key hangers, and wearables like the Jaipuri mojris, block-printed kurtis, cotton skirts, and many more. 

This fascinating Indian market is situated at a walking distance from Hawa Mahal and the City Palace. Do mark your attendance at the two breathtaking monuments while you’re there.

Is the explorer in you curious to check-out all the other monuments in the capital city of Rajasthan. Do read our blog!

Lively Indian marketplaces of Goa

Since the onset of work from home culture, people have started migrating to their dream destinations, or flown back to their homes. Goa remains the undisputed topper on the list of Indians’ favourite destinations. 

Well aware of this fact, the Goans have made their markets with attractive concepts. For the tourists who’re in the city to chill, there’s a flea market at Anjuna Beach. You can buy trendy beachwear, swimwear, and club outfits at rock-bottom prices. Also, disposing these inexpensive outfits won’t burn a hole in your heart later on. 

Arpora’s Saturday Night Bazaar is like a small local festival that every tourist definitely visits. There’s music, food, a fun ambiance, and tons of beach-side kiosks for you to shop!

Sounds interesting, right? Click here to learn more about all the fascinating shopping places in Goa.

All the shopaholics in the house say YAYYY! Fetch your satchel, find the Indian market closest to you, and take off for your next shopping trip. Wherever you decide to go, do know that we’re all set to host you!