Delhi Street Shopping!

Shopping in Delhi is always absolute fun as nothing seem to be unavailable in the bustling streets of Delhi markets. Be it a modern shopping area of South Delhi or bustling bazaar of Old Delhi, the city is nothing less than a paradise for the shoppers.

The most glamorous shopping area in the heart of the city is the Connaught Place (CP), built during the British Days designed by Edwin Lutyen. This circular shaped market finds a beautiful fountain and park in the center, with convenient and ample parking spaces. For decades it continues to be the prime shopping hub of Delhi. Radial roads lead out of this centre point to all parts of the city connecting old city with the new.

The underground shopping plaza 'Palika Bazar' inside the Connaught Circle is another marvel of the city which also provides an underground parking. While CP market area still retains its original British flavour, the modern Palika Bazar connects the place with present modernization. Both Connaught Place and Palika Bazaar market remains closed on Sundays.

Do visit the Baba Kharak Singh Marg where you will find a row of State Handicraft Emporias. Prices here are fixed and products are genuine. Typical textiles brasswares, jewellery, paintings, furniture and souvenirs from every State can be found in their respective showrooms. Pay a visit to the Central Cottage Industries Emporium at Janpath in the STC Building Complex for the choicest handicrafts from all states under one roof.

Other up-market shopping areas are South Extension, Sarojini Nagar, INA Market, Greater Kailash Part- I, Vasant Vihar in the South Delhi and Khan Market and Sunder Nagar Market in central Delhi within a km from the India Gate. The availability of all kinds of necessary goods along with some excellent collection of garments and accessories in reasonable rate have made these markets a necessary shopping area in respective zones.

On the left of the Race Course road, is Santushti, the ideal shopping venue to the ethnic art lover created by the Air Force Wives Welfare Association. Intricately crafted woodwork, brasswares, terracotta, textiles, jewellery, clay toys, and metalwares can be purchased in this tiny arcade at reasonable price. The chic cottages against the well-landscaped garden and pebbled paths offer something more than shopping itself.

Opposite the INA market at Laxmi Bai Nagar, Delhi Tourism runs an open air handicraft market, Dilli Haat, in which craftsmen are invited from every state to sell their products directly. This is an ideal place if you want to taste the different cuisines representing each region of the country. Fruit salad, Chaat are some of the specialties which you should not miss in you trip to Dilli Haat. The celebration of regional festivals is another attraction of the place.

Inside the walled city there are some of the oldest market places of Delhi that are fascinating the people for centuries. Chandni Chowk is still famous for its silver jewellery, precious and semi precious stones, garments and accessories. A journey inside the narrow streets of Chandni Chowk will surely take you to the Mughal era. While shopping you could also feast in some of the most famous sweet shops and chaat corners. For all kinds of silver and precious & semi-precious stones walk into the narrow lanes of Kinari Bazar, also famous for glittering costumes of famous Indian mythological characters. Khari Baoli is the wholesale market for dry fruits and food grains. etc.

Towards west Delhi the most versatile markets are Karol Bagh and Rajouri Garden which are a striking mix of upmarket as well as flea markets and are quite crowded. Another very unique feature of Delhi are its Weekly bazars which exist in almost all colonies selling all kinds of household items for its residents. Certain festival related bazars are also fast gaining popularity mostly for pilgrim tourists and foreign tourists like at Suraj Kund and the Hauz Khas village which is an artificially created village.

There are more places to street-shop in Delhi. GKM Block Market is a great place, as is Lajpat Nagar... definitely worth a look n see though!

In brief, the experience of shopping in Delhi cannot be compared with any other experience in the world and is a treat for itself. I m sure once you take a stroll in the market areas of Delhi, you will love to come here again and again.