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Ansal Plaza
A modern shopping mall squarely geared towards well-to-do locals, with shops selling designer clothes, foreign-brand cosmetics, fashionable costume jewellery etc.
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Bookworm
Bookworm is one of the better bookshops located around Connaught Place. If you're not too overwhelmed by the sheer volume of books available, it's a great place to lose yourself among fellow bookworms for several hours.
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C.Lal & Sons
After sightseeing at Safdarjang's Tomb, drop into this humble little 'curiosity shop' owned by the kindly Mr Lal. Much loved by Delhi-based diplomats for its dazzling Christmas tree decorations, it also sells competitively priced handicrafts such as papier-mâché painted eggs, soft toy camels/elephants, carvings, silk scarves and pretty glass beads to string your own necklace.
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Central Cottage Industries Emporium
This government-run store has six floors of handicrafts from all over India. Whether it's woodcarvings, brassware, paintings, clothes, textiles, furniture or that big statue of Ganesh you're after, you'll find it here. The quality of goods is high and prices are fixed, so you can take a break from the haggle hassle.
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Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk is the old city's famous shopping street. Here you'll find carpets and jewellery but you'll need to search the convoluted back alleys, which is half the fun. There are some good-value silver shops; a pair of silver toe-rings, for instance, can be as little as Rs0.70 .
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Delhi Cloth House
Delhi Cloth House is the ideal place to get that bespoke suit run up. Men's wool suits are available from Rs5000 to Rs25,000 (including material); ankle-length skirts start from Rs400 (excluding material).
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Delhi Musical Stores
Delhi Musical Stores is one of the best of Delhi's many traditional Indian musical instruments. It's opposite Jama Masjid's Gate No 3, and the website details what's on offer.
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Fabindia
This excellent clothing and home-furnishings chain has a mothership store in Greater Kailash. This Central Delhi outpost is ideal for those staying close to Connaught Place.
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Greater Kailash's M-Block & N-Block Markets
An upmarket shopping enclave best known for its awesome garment and home-furnishings store Fabindia, which has fantastic readymade clothes that won't look odd back home. It also sells organic jams and bodycare products. Next door is Cottons, which has a smaller clothing selection but is also worth a peek.
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Hauz Khas Village
Hauz Khas Village in south Delhi is an atmospheric shopping enclave, although it's lost the magic of its earlier (less commercial) days. You'll find designer furniture shops, art galleries and boutiques geared towards the upper end of the market.
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Janpath (Tibetan) Market
Beckoning tourists with its shimmering mirrorwork textiles, colourful shawls, brass Oms, psychedelic T-shirts, dangly earrings and trinkets galore, is this touristy belt running north of the Imperial hotel. It has some good finds if you rummage through the junk. Haggle hard.
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Karol Bagh Market
This middle-class market sells competitively-priced consumer goods, from kidswear to kitchenware. Get spice-happy at Roopak's (6/9 Ajmal Khan Rd) two side-by-side shops with similar spices. Their namkin (savoury nibbles) are ideal for long train journeys - the roasted green lentils are a healthy alternative to the mostly fried varieties.
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Khadi Gramodyog Bhawan
Best known for its khadi (homespun cloth) Indian-style clothing, but also worth a visit for its handmade paper, incense, spices and henna. There are also natural soaps that look good enough to eat, from basil and rosewater to mango and mint. The multi-counter purchasing system is ludicrous - arrive early to avoid queues, especially just before the Diwali festival.
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Khan Market
Favoured by expats and Delhi's elite, this enclave has shops devoted to fashion (including tailoring), books, sunglasses, homeware and accessories. This is also the place to find gourmet groceries, from Australian grapefruit to Italian pesto. For handmade paperware (cards, diaries, photo albums etc) check out Anand Stationers. There's a small branch of Fabindia here here. Avoid Saturdays when the crowds can be exasperating.
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Lajpat Nagar Central Market
This market attracts bargain-hunting locals' on the prowl for household goods, clothing and jewellery. If you've fallen in love with those colourful jangly bangles widely worn by Indian women, you can find them here.
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M Ram & Sons
M Ram & Sons runs up men's suits from around Rs3500 (excluding material), ladies long skirts from Rs500 (excluding material). Tailoring possible in 24 hours.
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Main Bazaar
The backpacker-oriented spine of Paharganj has piles of bargain T-shirts, shawls, leatherware, costume jewellery, essential oil, incense, bindis and even bongs. Wood-bead necklaces, which make great gifts, start at as little as Rs10 . Although officially closed on Monday, many shops remain open during the tourist season.
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New Prominent Tailors
Indian tailors adeptly replicate ready-made garments so bring your favourite party frock. Be warned: ultra-cheap tailors can be shoddy - seek recommendations and always confirm whether quotes include fabric and if garments are lined. New Prominent Tailors, a reliable choice, runs up men's trousers (excluding material) from around Rs300 , and women's skirts (with lining) from around Rs250 .
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Palika Bazaar
A bustling underground bazaar with all sorts of consumer goods (clothing, electronics, fake wristwatches, CDs etc) aimed at Delhi's middle-class. Tourists are invariably quoted inflated prices, so don't be shy to bargain.
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People Tree
The blink-and-you'll-miss it People Tree sells avant-garde T-shirts (from around Rs170 ) as well as skirts, dresses, shirts (men and women) shoulder bags, ethnic costume jewellery and books.
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Planet M
Planet M is an overspilling cornucopia of well-priced music. Spread out over two well-arranged floors, it offers English-language (1st floor) and Indian music (2nd.)
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Rangarsons Music Depot
Rangarsons Music Depot is the place to satisfy all your traditional Indian musical instrument needs. You'll find tablas and sitars next to trumpets and guitars, starting at around Rs2500 .
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Rikhi Ram
Indian musical instruments always appeal to travellers and Delhi has a good range of specialist shops. This particular one is where the Beatles bought their sitars way back when, and there's a photograph of the owner with the sadly missed George Harrison.
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Santushti Shopping Complex
A calm green haven sprinkled with swanky boutiques, Santushti is the antithesis of Delhi's boisterous bazaars. Cigar aficionados will appreciate Kastro's which has fine Cuban cigars, Davidoff mini-cigarillos etc. Meanwhile, Lotus Eaters sells sublime old gold and silver pieces including Ganesh pendants from around Rs1800 , while Anokhi (branch also at Khan Market) specialises in quality block-printed textiles, from tablecloths to garments.
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Sarojini Nagar Market
Good-value Western-style clothes (seek out the lanes lined exclusively with clothing stalls), that have been dumped here either because they were an export surplus or from a cancelled line. Check for holes, faulty zips, crooked seams, stains and missing buttons. Bargain hard. Avoid Sunday afternoons when Sarojini swarms with elbowing shoppers.






