India Shopping Tips by Canadienne Top 5 Page for this destination

Various Sabzi Markets: Fruits & Veggies

I love Indian food, much more now than I did on my first trip, but I always find it difficult to get as many fruits and vegetables as I would eat at home. The difficulty with eating salads in restaurants (due to rinsing in tap water) leads me to seek out vegetable markets in most cities.

As well as being able to supplement restaurant food, exploring the local markets is always entertaining and enjoyable.

What to buy: Peas are an easy choice – once they're peeled, they're ready to eat. Bananas and oranges are also simply divine. But with some bottled/purified water and a bit of effort, you can enjoy other locally-grown buys as well.

Theme: Food and Drink

Various Stores & Streetstalls: Books, Books, Books

VN Road in Mumbai and College Street in Kolkata are stretches of shopping that call out to my heart. If you can’t find appealing reading material here, you probably never will.

At the very least, come and browse and it'll give you a sense of how popular reading is with the city residents.

What to buy: My friend Lara picked up the photo-heavy Eyewitness India, as a souvenir of the trip, for $10 Cdn (it runs close to $70 at home). I found a few lesser-known Tagore collections for a steal.

What to pay: Bargain hard, most of the books are second-hand or "pirated" copies.

Theme: Books

Various Shops/Stalls: Bargaining in India

Bargaining can be a difficult interaction for many Westerners, as we rarely get any practice with it at home. Still, the "art of the deal" is expected in Indian markets and the original price that you are quoted is almost never the price you are expected to pay.

Try to source out appropriate prices from local people before you start negotiations. Keep a good sense of humour and a respectful tone when dealing with salespeople. Being prepared to walk away if you can't reach an agreement also helps, but remember that no one is getting rich off of you. There are probably eight months of the year, when due to low tourism, the people you meet struggle (even more than usual) to make ends meet. Once you go home, is it really going to matter if you paid a couple dollars more than a local might?

What to pay: We bargained for all of our purchases in markets, clothing stores, souvenir shops, and even the occasional hotel. We also negotiated prices with drivers and guides.

Theme: Other

Crawford Market: A Shopping "Must See" in Mumbai

A trip to Mumbai's Crawford Market is definitely a must ~ the building is architecturally interesting, it reportedly sees 2 tonnes of fresh produce pass through each day, and the lanes are packed with interesting colours, sights, sounds and (of course) smells.

What to buy: It is a superb place to pick up supplies (if you are starting out) or souvenirs (if you are wrapping up a trip). I always struggle with what to get my co-workers, but saffron-infused sweets are a perfect reminder of India. You can also find unique Falooda mixes, spices for the cuisine-inclined, and a few colourful photos as well.

Directions: North of VT Station

Theme: Food and Drink

Street Stall ~ Ajmal Khan Road: Mehndi ~ New Delhi

Mehndi in a street stall (I had it done twice) is fast, cheap and the real thing. It's a wonder to see how quickly these men paint such intricate designs. . .when the dye comes off, my patterns were a faint rust coloured, but they continued to darken and darken over the next ten hours or so.

What to pay: I can't even recall, it was so inexpensive.

Theme: Bath and Beauty