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Shopping in India
Kerala
There is only one thing to do after all
the avid exploring of Kerala and that is shopping;
without which a trip really would not be complete.
Shopping is the most thrilling and delightful experience
for all kinds of tourists and shopaholics. Kerala is
ready to welcome all in order to quench their thirst for
shopping.
Kerala has many big malls offering many retail options
with variety of brands and their products ranging from
traditional to funky collections. The best part about
shopping here is that if you are blessed with elementary
bargaining skills and a good eye, you can see your money
being utilized in the best way possible allowing you to
enjoy the endless retail entertainment. The visitors to
Kerala are spoilt for shops and most of the shops are
within easy walking distance of each other.
Shopping in Kerala mostly comprises of woodwork, carved
statues, and most definitely aromatic oils and spices.
Rose woodcarvings of Kerala are famous worldwide. Kerala
is famous for locally made handy craft items with a
traditional touch in each item. Due to the abundance of
forests and coconut groves in Kerala, wood, coir and
coconut shells traditionally remain the base of such
handicrafts. From deep-wine rosewood and fragrant
sandalwood ivory carvings, pottery, brocade fabrics and
earthenware products to variety of saris, that just
demand to be bought and not to miss out on some hot
bargains to buy wonderful gifts for your near and dear
ones. The most frequented places to buy this stuff are
at Big Bazaar on the SM street and CSI at Mananchira in
Kozhikode.
Kerala has a huge number of jewelry shops and you just
simply can’t afford to leave Kerala without stepping
inside those shops. You will be amazed to see the amount
of gold that is bought by people here.
While taking a trip around Kerala, one must drop by at
Trivandrum where on M.G. Road you can buy the famous
wooden “Kathakali” (a renowned dance form in Kerala)
masks, made of wood or papier-mâché.
One of the most famous and popular items in Kerala and
practically the best in the world, are its rich flavored
spices. You can choose from turmeric, ginger powder,
Black Pepper, Cardamom, Vanilla, Cinnamon, other exotic
spices that are available only in Kerala. There is also
a wholesale market of spices at the Court road in
Kozhikode.
The busiest shopping place in Kozhikode is the Sweetmeat
Street as there used to be lots of sweetmeat shops lined
up on this road since ancient times as the market and
adjacent areas make up one of the city’s liveliest
areas. If cotton clothes tempt, destination is SM Street
once again. For the ultimate, try and visit Beypore,
which is 11 kilometers away from Kozhikode to observe
the making of these traditional products in Vietnam and
priced lower than in the market.
Kolkata
There is only one thing to do after all the avid exploring
of Kolkata and that is shopping; without which a trip really would not be
complete. Shopping is the most thrilling and delightful experience for all
kinds of tourists and shopaholics. Kolkata is ready to welcome all in
order to quench their thirst for shopping.
Kolkata has many big malls offering many retail options with variety of
brands and their products ranging from traditional to funky collections.
The best part about shopping here is that if you are blessed with
elementary bargaining skills and a good eye, you can see your money being
utilized in the best way possible allowing you to enjoy the endless retail
entertainment. The visitors to Kolkata are spoilt for shops and most of
the shops are within easy walking distance of each other.
Kolkata is famous as a shopper’s paradise. The most famous place for
shopping in Kolkata is the New Market area, which was earlier known as the
Hogg Market. From toys and junk jewelries to your fashion wardrobe, you
will find it all at this place suiting your budget. The two very famous
shopping arcades here are the Sreeram Arcade and the Treasure Island
Market.
The Metropolis
Popularly called the Big Bazar on the Eastern Bypass this mall is a
favourite place for people to hang around. The TEFL International
accommodation is adjacent to the mall. It has a food court, grocery,
clothes and multiplex movie hall and is the biggest attraction in that
area.
Dakshinapan Shopping Complex
It is the place to go when seeking a lot of different items. From
boutiques to bargain racks, from music shops to eateries, even a showcase
for the crafts by disabled people, you name it; it has the works such as
handlooms, textiles, handicrafts, imitation jewellery and fancy goods.
This is one place that's a favorite with college student looking for
clothes to fit their budgets. Bargaining is out of the question here, as
most shops sell their ware at fixed prices. However, the complex is
choc-a-bloc with state emporia, peddling their ware at reasonable rates. A
few bargains can also be grabbed at the shops that aren't emporia. The
complex also houses a few
clean food stalls, where you can stop for a bite after a long shopping
spree.
Emami Shopper's City
Emami Shoppers' City in Central Calcutta have brought international brands
from Swarovski to Godiva to the city, breaking the city's dependence on
the older market complexes like A.C. Market and Vardaan Market, which were
mainly Chinese import dependent.
Forum Mall
It is a shopping mall located in the Bhowanipore area of Kolkata on Elgin
Road. It is the twin mall of the City Centre mall situated at the other
part of the city.
Gariahat Market
is located on Rash Behari Avenue and Gariahat Road Crossing. Textiles,
readymade garments, electronic gadgets, and almost every thing can be
found here. Besides the regular shops, are the makeshift shops that crowd
the sidewalks where one gets to purchase something at a bargain price.
Landmark
The exquisitely designed shopping mall on Lord Sinha Road is a must-visit
spot for book lovers. It showcases the largest book and audio software
selling store in the city, conveniently located near the British Council
Library on Shakespeare Sarani.
Central Kolkata
Metro Plaza
This 20,000 sq m shopping mall on Ho-Chi-Minh, Sarani in the central
business district accommodates 242 shops distributed over three floors
that sell everything and anything you could possibly wish for. A
distinctive feature is Megabowl, a 6,000 sq m entertainment centre with a
bowling alley, pool and a host of indoor games.
New Market
Once called Hogg’s Market, Kolkata’s oldest and most renowned municipal
market on Lindsay Street offers one of the widest ranges of goods.
Recently, a new complex has been added at Bertram Street to rehabilitate
the shops damaged in a devastating fire some years back. A testimony to an
era gone by, the market is a maze of leather goods, fancy silverware,
jewellery, garments, fabrics, confectionery, clothing, dry fruits, poultry
products, fish, meat, flowers etc.
If you'd plunge into the heart of the shopping game, here's the best place
to start bargain hunting in Kolkata. Shiny plastic clips, faux crystal
ware, flowers, fabric, toys, luggage, ready-to-wear clothes, shoes,
crockery, candles, swimwear, uniforms… name it and it's likely to be there
in one of the shops here. The thumb rule at New Market? Bargain with all
your might!
Treasure Island
located in Madge Lane, beside Globe Cinema. Within the New Market shopping
zone, this air-conditioned market is a drop-in point for regular New
Market shoppers, who are not satiated enough…yes it sells everything and
some.
Vaibhav Plaza
On Lee Road is another shopping complex where almost everything under the
sun is available for people frequenting AJC Bose Road and Lee Road. It has
a rooftop cafe.
Vardaan (Vardhan)
This air-conditioned market at Camac Street has branded apparel, jewellery
and cosmetics, knick knacks and novelties.
AC Market
One of the oldest shopping complexes in the city, this outlet at
Shakespeare Sarani is a virtual warehouse of clothes, novelties, jewellery,
electronic gadgets, watches etc.
If you want to get away from the heat on the streets then you can walk
into this market. It used to be the haunt of the upwardly mobile, but with
swanky new shopping complexes opening up over town, AC Market is now a
toned down version of its former snooty self. Don't let the "Fixed Price"
signs scare
you off - this is as good a place as any for great bargains.
Books and Curios
The shops dotting either side of Free School Street, off Park Street, are
a treasure house of curios, old music systems, books, periodicals, record
players and cassettes. Bookworms can also revel in the sight, smell and
sale of old books and new at College Street.
North Kolkata
Bowbazaar Market
Located on B.B. Ganguly Street is known for its jewellery stores besides
other shops dealing in wooden furniture, musical instruments, shoes,
seasonal fruit, fresh vegetables and flesh meat etc.
Burrabazaar Market
This oldest wholesale/retail market of Kolkata on Mahatma Gandhi Road, is
the place to shop for whole sale business of textiles, cereals, food
grains, spices, dry fruits, edible oils, sugar, salt and other groceries.
There are good number of renowned retail shops located in this market too
where the retail buyers sometimes buy products at the whole sale price.
College Street Market [Book Market]
Trams, buses, people on foot, rickshaws, cows, dogs - and rows and rows of
bookshops, that's College Street. If you're looking for books at a steal,
this is the place to go to. A word of advice though - get to where College
Street begins and undertake the rest of the journey on foot - this way,
you can not only browse to your heart's content, you'll also not have to
worry about parking your vehicle. Most of the Book shops and Book
Publishers have their place of business transaction near this market. The
area is well referred to as BAI PARA (Book Market).
Chandni Market
located off Dharmatala Street, in Central Kolkata near the Esplanade
(popularly knows as Chandni Chawk), is a very old one, known for its stock
of metal products and commodities, hardware, paints, clothes, steel
trunks/suitcases, electronic components, audio/videos, housing/cabinet
etc.
China Bazaar
Old China Bazaar Street houses this market mainly dealing with paper,
paper bindings, foils, envelopes, streamers, stationery, crockery,
glassware, domestic goods, etc.
East Kolkata
Swabhumi
This fun park on the EM Bypass has a shopping complex-cum-entertainment
centre with a food court thrown in as the icing on the cake.
Charnock City
This tall, state-of-the-art market caters to Salt Lake, Kolkata’s
satellite city. On sale are garments, novelties and jewellery, with a
rooftop, multi-cuisine restaurant, overlooking the entire Salt Lake city,
adding to the charm.
City Center
This is the latest addition of swanky malls in Kolkata. Due to its
sprawling area it is convenient place to spend an entire day. There are
multiplexes, KFC, a food court and big designer outlets in this mall.
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