"Cottage industries" Agra Shopping Tip by dhod

Organised tours inevitably bring the tourists to certain cottage industries, where they show off the local customs and handicrafts.
Whilst they always want to sell their goods these tours can be very interesting.
Of course, when in Agra you have to visit the factory shop where they show you how they make the intricate marble inlayed souvenirs. The semi-precious stones are hand cut to size and then very carefullly laid into a hand-cut piece of marble, sealed and polished to give a beautiful work of art.

What to buy: Undoubtedly the main thing to buy in Agra is marble, with inlaid semi-precious stones.

Jewellery is also very good and considerably cheaper than in the UK, with some unusual designs.

What to pay: You can spend a lot of money on some of the beautiful items- but just consider how much hard work has gone into making the item- then have it valued back home to find out the real cost and you should be pleasently suprised!

Theme: Local Craft