Shopping in Delhi
Delhi is definitely the best shopping destinations in India. Here, you can buy anything from authentic Indian dresses to designer-wear from almost all fashion houses of the world; from the latest electronic gadgets to artefacts from village craftsmen; and almost anything that one can think of.
The most renowned shopping areas in Delhi are Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Shopping Malls, and Karol Bagh. However, there are other smaller markets as well like G. K. M-Block, Rajouri Garden, Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Kamla Nagar, and etc. However, if you have visited the bigger ones, it does not make much sense to spend any additional time on these smaller ones.
Karol Bagh
The only market with “All-That-You-Want-Available-At-One-Place” tag. A huge marketplace with hundreds of shops for authentic Indian dresses, designer-wear, footwear, electronic gadgets, kitchenware, and a lot more. You just think of what you want, and there are all the chances in the world that you would find it here. But, there is one more specialty of this market. It is the biggest market in Delhi for Jewelery of all kinds. Gold, Silver, Diamond, Platinum; you name it and you will find it here. Rings, Bracelets, Bangles, Trinkets, Ear-Rings, Nose-Rings, Anklets, Necklaces, Chains, Arm-Bracelets, Waist-Bracelets, Loose Diamonds, and a lot more is what you would find here. Exquisite designs with exemplary artwork are the trademark of this market. One would not be blamed for confusion or indecisiveness as there are dozens of showrooms as well as dozens of smaller, but equally good, shops, providing the best jewelery in the world.
Chandni Chowk
The best place in Delhi if you are looking to buy the best of Indian dresses like Saris, Salwar-Suits, Lehangas, Kurta-Pyjamas, as well as traditional wedding dresses. You can also find a huge collection of accessories like ear-rings, trinkets, bangles, etc. However, all you shopping would be incomplete if you don’t taste the various Indian delicacies for which Chandni Chowk is known all over India. On a visit to Chandni Chowk, one must be prepared to travel for hours on foot as the market is spread out through various lanes and by-lanes where you cannot travel on any motorised vehicle. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should have with you a person who is familiar with the area, else there is every chance of getting lost in the labyrinthine lanes, and of being overcharged for various items.
Connaught Place
It is not an individual market but a collection of markets. Janpath, Inner & Outer circles of Connaught Place (C.P. for short), State handicrafts Emporia, and Palika Bazaar are the main constituents, though there are more. The first three are a “Must-See” but, the last one, Palika Bazaar, is definitely avoidable.
Janpath is known all over India for its low-cost artefacts available in the small shops lining the road. However, the crown jewel would be the “Central Cottage Industries Emporium”, where you would find the best of Indian craftsmanship like Metal Artefacts, Exquisite Furniture, Carpets, Furnishing Material, Crafted Stones, Crafted Wooden Items, Indian Dresses, and the list is quite long.
Apart from Janpath, another must visit, for Indian handicrafts and artefacts, is the State Handicrafts Emporia, located near the world-famous Hanuman Mandir. This market has more than a dozen emporia, with each emporium showcasing the specialties of one of the 29 states of India. The collection in each emporium is strikingly different from that of the rest. Thus, you can easily imagine the variety available here.
Then, the Inner and Outer circles of C. P. have a number of showrooms showcasing products from all the leading brands of India, as well as imported items.
Shopping Malls
What one should not miss on a visit to India, would be the modern face of the country. Throughout Delhi, you would find high-rises, overhead and underground Metro trains, Luxury Vehicles, etc., which all point towards the progress made by the country in the last 15 yrs. However, to see it all up close, one should visit the malls located at Saket (DLF Mall), or the cluster of malls at Rajouri Garden, or, if you have an extra day to spend, then, the malls at Gurgaon.
