Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Old Delhi's backbone is an iconic shopping strip, dotted by temples, snarled by traffic and crammed with stores selling everything from street food to…
Must-see shopping in India
Mumbai (Bombay)
Though not one official market, the street stalls and shopping arcades between Marks and Spencer and St Peter's Church offer a cornucopia of bargain…
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Come Sunday, second-hand books spread along the pavement for around 1km from Delhi Gate westwards along Asaf Ali Rd. Rummage for everything from Mills &…
Margao
One of Goa’s best bookshops, Golden Heart is crammed from floor to ceiling with fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and illustrated volumes on the…
Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
This gift shop on the NID (National Institute of Design) campus stocks an excellent range of independent designs by the institute's alumni and students…
Darjeeling
Sells Tibetan-style yak-wool carpets (₹10,800 for a 6ft by 3ft carpet) as part of its charitable work with mothers from poor Darjeeling-area families, and…
Kochi (Cochin)
Fabulous hand-block-printed dresses, kurtas, skirts, bags and shirts in floaty fabrics blend Indian and European design at Anokhi, a Jaipur brand famous…
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur & Western Rajasthan
A cooperative of 42 families in Salawas runs the Roopraj Dhurry Udyog, through which all profits go to the artisans. A 3ft by 5ft dhurrie costs a minimum…
Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
Beautiful handcrafted gifts – from embroidered pillowcases and traditional leather sandals to clothing, accessories, stationery and more. Gramshree is a…
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,…
Kachchh (Kutch)
Small outlet in the Comfort Inn Prince lobby of the highly respected designer textile shop, with a very good selection of well-priced, fair-trade…
North Goa
This friendly and rewarding little bookshop, at the end of an improbable, dingy corridor, specialises in books about Goa and India with a focus on…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Kolkata's iconic colonial-era market sells everything from clothing and jewellery to flowers and savoury-food products, all under one roof. The Hogg…
Kovalam
Stock up on hand-embroidered, block-printed or dyed kurtas, dresses, trousers and scarves, plus bags, beauty products and homewares at India's favourite…
Bhubaneswar
Located in the busy all-day market streets known as Market Building, Utkalika features Odishan textiles, including appliqué and ikat (tie-dyed thread), as…
Calangute & Baga
A refreshingly different bookstore, in the owners’ South Calangute home, and a very pleasant Italian-style garden cafe. Come for a fine espresso and…
Kashmir Government Arts Emporium
Srinagar
Kashmiri crafts and saffron at fixed prices are displayed in the century-old half-timbered former British Residency Building (gutted by fire in 1998,…
Delhi
Housed within Phase 1 metro station building, but accessed from the street, this tiny independent clothing store and coffee shop sells exquisite cotton…
Mumbai (Bombay)
This top-end shop occupies the former studio of fashion designer James Ferreira, located inside his 200-year-old Kotachiwadi bungalow. It curates designer…
Delhi Foundation of Deaf Women
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Beautiful handmade handicrafts (bags, purses, gift cards, bookmarks) made by members of the city's deaf foundation and sold from their community hall…
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
With its roots in Pokhara, Nepal, this fair-trade nonprofit organisation sells quality weave and knitwear, including pashmina shawls, cashmere scarfs and…
Varanasi
In a labyrinth of alleys behind Lal Ghat, this fixed-price shop, its floor cushioned for seating, offers fine silks for fair prices. Products are as small…
Anjuna
Oxford Arcade, 100m from the Starco crossroads on the road to Vagator, is a fully fledged two-storey supermarket, complete with shopping trolleys and…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Designer tees (eg 'Hipsters Prefer Kala Ghoda'), graphic prints, framed original 1940s' textile labels and other South Mumbai–centric art and design…
Jaisalmer
This small shop near the fort’s main square sells beautiful patchworks, embroidery, paintings, bags, rugs, cushion covers and all types of Rajasthani art…
Jaipur
For ayurvedic preparations, this place exports internationally and has been selling herbal remedies and beauty products for over 70 years. There are even…
Mumbai (Bombay)
A classy selection of rugs, clothing, teas, stationery, aromatherapy products, brass sculptures, toy wooden rickshaws and, perhaps most interestingly,…
Chandigarh
As cute as the name suggests, this basement boutique opened in 1980 and is secretly tucked away beneath a row of shops and restaurants in the busy Sector…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Wander the narrow lanes of Mumbai's jewellery market in search of gems, jewels and gold – 65% of India's gold trade emerges from here. Notable jewellers…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
This homegrown company specialising in Indian kitsch has spread its wings to a new location at Orion Mall. Find a spark of colour in every corner of the…
South Goa
The Goa Animal Welfare Trust shop, next door to Leda Lounge, is a charity shop with secondhand books and souvenirs. All proceeds go toward helping out Goa…
Chennai (Madras)
Hidden away in a revamped warehouse surrounded by tropical greenery, Amethyst stocks luxury Indian fashion with ultracolourful contemporary flair…
Guwahati
Maati (Soil) supports the indigenous peoples of the Northeast through sales of their very appealing handicrafts – including saris, scarves, jewellery,…
Hyderabad
This business has been in operation for five generations and stocks cream, golden, white and black saltwater pearls from across the globe. A string of…
Jaipur
This boutique sells first-rate textiles, including bright, fresh block prints, and unique furnishings. Children’s clothes are also available. If you're in…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
For sitars (from ₹5000) or violins (from ₹3000), visit Mondal & Sons, a family-run musical establishment dating to the 1850s. Do not be misled by the…
Bikaner
The Swami family has been painting miniatures in Bikaner for four generations, and now runs this art school and gallery. The quality of work is astounding…
Leh
Hidden upstairs opposite the entrance to Chokhang Vihara, this excellent bookshop publishes locally relevant works and stocks the updated 2013 edition of…
Panaji
This atmospheric place, where narrow streets have been converted into covered markets, makes for a nice wander, offering fresh produce, clothing stalls…
Jaisalmer
This place has a big array of bedspreads, tapestries, clothing (ready-made and custom-made, including silk) and other textiles, made by its own workers…
