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Shopping Paradise

Rajasthan is a land where tradition has been imbibed into every aspect of life. The paintings, handicrafts, jewellery and textiles of this land reflect the distinctiveness of the region they belong to. For the past few centuries, Jaipur's jewellers have specialised in enameling and setting of precious stones in gold. Old silver jewellery, with its old-world charm is popular in the desert cities. The textiles come in a range of designs and colors-each piece isunique since it is hand made.

Many of the leading showrooms and emporia of Rajasthan have artisans at work in-house, and one can take close look at the age-old process of creating the product- be it a carpet or an enameled bangle set with precious stones. Ravi Gem & Jewellery, Amrapali, Anil Carpet & Handicrafts and Rajasthali in Jaipur are some of the leading showrooms.

Jaipur's bazaars are favoured by both-casual buyers and connoisseurs of art.

PLACES FOR SHOPPING IN RAJASTHAN

Jaipur: Jaipur offers to its visitors traditional crafts like jewellery, metalwork, enamelling, tie-and-dye, pottery, leatherwork, stone carving and miniature painting. The laakh bangles, old silver & ivory jewellery, Kundan & Meenakari work, precious and semi precious stones like garnet, metal ware, marble statues, antiques and artefacts, blue pottery and puppets are also special attractions.

Barmer: Vibrant embroideries, woolen dhurries, and stone carvings Sadar Bazar is where the action is.

Bikaner : Best for camel products that include leather footwear, and its brilliant gesso work. Wool carpets and blankets , light cotton quilts, and brilliantly dyed cotton fabrics can be tracked down in the maze of tiny shops around Kote Gate, with KEM Road providing the shopping in larger stores.

Jaisalmer: The local tradition of carving is best seen in little wooden boxes that are intricately pierced in exciting patterns and motifs. Also woolen and cotton rugs and blankets , embroidered fabrics, silver jewellery and trinkets, available in shops that open off the cobbled streets.

Jodhpur: Once brides came here for their trousseau shopping because the dyes and prints were resplendent, and the lame work brilliant. The same fabrics can still be found in the bazaars, and you may want to try on a sporty pair of Jodhpurs ( the riding breeches that originated in this town ). Badalas or zinc alloy pitcher used to carry water, covered with felted cloth, were an earlier version of today's water flask. Also wooden toys, leather goods, paintings, juttees and silver jewellery, all in the shops in the old city. Handsome pieces of old furniture and artifacts can be found in the huddle of shops at the base of Chhattar Hill.

Kota: Best known for it's small checked-weave cotton sarees called Kota doriyas, in light floral prints.

Pushkar: During the November fair, the meal is a bewildering array of shops with fabrics, embroideries, utensils, terracotta pots, trinkets, silver jewellery, camel saddles, blankets, shawls, beads , bangles and other baubles. 

Shekhawati: Associated with the low-legged Shekhawati chair , this region is known for wood carving, metal utensils, made -as-old furniture, and tie-dye fabrics.

Udaipur: One of the principal shopping zones outside Jaipur, here are a myriad shops with paintings of the miniature and pichwai variety, as terracotta tables and plaques. There are also locally dyed fabrics and textiles , embroideries , wooden toys , white metal objects d'art , silver enamel artefacts, and image of Krishna in the Nathdwara style.