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Shopping in India – what I wish I had known – and what I actually bought. Will try to add photos later....

In general, I hate shopping – but India was fabulous. I actually wish I had bought more. Here’s a recap of what I bought, where, for how much, and my thoughts now that I’m back home.

Surprisingly, I suggest shopping at the Oberoi hotel gift shops and airports shops (for dresses) in Jaipur. Book shops in the airports sell lots of English Language books you know, for a fraction of what we pay in the US. And medications are very cheap.

You can buy pashminas everywhere. But how many do you need? Rugs are also everywhere.

Our Tour Manager organized “bus bazaars” several times. After touring a site he told us to walk back to bus and ignore the vendors but to let him know what we were interested in. He then offered items on the bus from these vendors at a set price – the “bus bazaar”. Much less chaos!

Delhi – buy nothing!
There is nothing in Delhi you won’t find elsewhere. If, like me, you arrived in Delhi a few days early to deal with jetlag, you might be interested in shopping. Don’t do it! Get some spa treatments, hang out at the pool – whatever. But shopping now means carrying your purchases around for the rest of the trip. And you’ll see everything somewhere else.

Sarnath (first stop in Varanasi) – necklaces and bangles
At our bus bazaar in Sarnath I bought a drum with carry case and two mallets for 1,000 rupees. In retrospect I should have bought this at the end of the trip as it was widely available. Now I had to carry a surprisingly heavy purchase around India for three weeks.

I also bought two necklaces (one multi-strand with little beads for 100 rupees, and one with wooden beads for 200 rupees) and wish I had bought more. Ditto for the beautiful blue bracelets I bought for 200 or 300 rupees. Prices were good and I never saw these items again.

We also bought some gold and white cheapo bracelets. These were more or less available anywhere. Best place to buy them is probably Elephanta Island where you run the “gauntlet of vendors” at the end of your trip. Good prices, especially as you walk back to your boat.

Varanasi – nothing?
I don’t remember buying anything in Varanasi. But the gift shop in the hotel lobby had some interesting offerings. It might be the only place where I saw an Indian-themed nativity scene.

Agra – good gift shop where you stop between Delhi and Agra.

We took a bus from Delhi to Agra. Half-way through we stopped for a bathroom break. The gift shop in this "bus stop" had a very nice selection of affordable paintings. They also had a nice assortment of embroidered jackets. If you see one you like – buy it here. I wish I had bought paintings here as the only place I found the similar paintings was the “vendor gauntlet” in Elephanta Island.

Agra is known for its marble work. This is the best place to buy inlaid marble tables. Our Tour Manager said he had bought a mortar and pestle here which he uses a lot. Go to see the demonstration of the inlay work. It is amazing what they do.

Agra will be the first place you stay at an Oberoi. They have great gift shops with fair prices. And they will ship anything to the Mumbai Oberoi (at a very reasonable price) for you to collect at the end of your trip.

Jaipur – Jewelry and clothing and more
We had a marionette performance before lunch and I bought a puppet from the performers for US $20. I saw the same thing later at the airport, so I guess it wasn’t as unique I as assumed it was.

Jewelry shoppers were taken in the afternoon to Gem Palace and another jewelry store across the street. I bought a gorgeous ruby ring at Gem Palace. Didn’t see anything similar anywhere else. I highly recommend Jaipur as the place to buy jewelry, or in Udiapur.

Later that afternoon I bought 4 dresses and two pairs of pajamas at Carpet & Textile House (Natwara House, Old Amer Road, second floor). I believe this is the manufacturer who supplied the person in Seattle I’ve been ordering Indian print dresses from for years. This same store weaves rugs for high-end US retailers.

The shops in the Jaipur airport were great. Several women bought dresses. I believe I bought these fun keychains there – I wish I had bought more. These are fun presents and can be used to decorate a Christmas tree.

Udiapur – tailored clothing and more jewelry
Pro tip: after the tour of the Palace, but before lunch, order your custom-made clothing done at the Palace Shop. Get a cup of chai or something to hold off your hunger pains for lunch. Then take your time picking out fabrics and having measurements taken. The lunch provided by Tauck is sub-standard, so there’s no need to rush. Your clothes will be made overnight and a fitting done the next morning at your hotel. Any changes can be made and the clothing returned to your hotel, or shipped to Mumbai for you.

I also bought 3 pillow covers (3,000 rupees each) and place mats and napkins (2,500 rupees) in the textile stores recommended by Tauck.

The art store we were taken to was selling expensive stuff – $5,000 and up for the paintings we liked. Ended up buying nothing here – but later I bought paintings in Elephanta.

I ended up buying another ring at Gem Arts Emporium (11, Saheli Marg near Sahelion I Bodi) and blue topaz earrings at the Oberoi gift shop (from Gem Palace). Could have bought more!

Kerala – spices
“Jew Street” had some interesting shops where my friend bought a woven rug and some pashminas. Once we returned to the bus our Tour Manager gave us each a strip of spices which cost 200 rupees. If we had known about this we would have bought many for presents. Evidently there’s only one vendor who sells this “strip of spices” and I don’t know where he is. Didn’t see this anywhere else.

The spa we stayed at sold coconut oil pressed on-site so I bought some. (Make sure to pack in your checked luggage!). We also “threw a pot” with the help of someone who knew what they were doing. Couldn’t figure out a way to transport this back to the states without taking up a lot of room (the pot was still damp when we left India) so left it behind at the Oberoi Mumbai.

The gift shop at the spa sold nice bookmarks for 100 or 200 rupees. (They are not easy to find – ask the staff.) Nice presents.

Mumbai – last call! Pashminas and more
On our “bus bazaar” in Mumbai I bought 12 mini-tiffin boxes at 100 rupees each. (Great for Christmas stocking stuffers!) Also bought two clutches for 500 rupees (later offered to us at 3 for 500), four phone cases for 100 each, and a string of elephants for 200 rupees.

Our local Tour Guide suggested the shop Christina’s in the lower level shopping arcade at the Oberoi (just down the hall from the Oberoi’s pastry shop). We loved it. A great chance to buy your last-minute pashminas.

There were several good jewelers at the Taj Hotel shopping center (you’ll have lunch here after Elephanta Island). My friend bought reasonably priced amethyst pendants for her granddaughters ($40 each, plus $20 for a silver chain).

Across from the Synagogue is the gift shop Artisan. You’ll see their windows street level, but the store is up one level. Unique items we didn’t see anywhere else. Make sure you check it out. (I’m thinking about calling them now to order one of their hand-embroidered shawls to have it shipped to me in the US.) Here’s the cotton scarf I bought there for 4,000 rupees:

Next door to Artisan, on the corner, I bought this collection of placemats (220 rupees each) and napkins (6 for 1,050 rupees).

Elephanta Island has its “vendor gauntlet” where I found great prices on bangles and other souvenir items. Also bought these six paintings for 6,500 rupees.

****Mumbai and Delhi airports – only if you need something last minute****
Only chain stores we had already shopped at. But good if you’re in a pinch.

Because of my disgust with Zuckerberg, I left Facebook in 2024 but do agree with terrilynn that the Tauck posters there were warm, welcoming and, for the most part, nonjudgmental. We all know that reading what someome has posted is not the same as hearing their voice or seeing their facial expressions so a lot gets “lost in translation”. That being said, I have no time or respect for bullies who feel the need to belittle others to salve their own feelings of insecurity and self loathing. In the meantime I will join my cat in watching the Olympics and dream of the Dolomites.

I am not a shopper but that does not mean I need to criticize someone who is. Regardless if MaryHalland was shopping for herself, family, friends, boutique, or whatever, how did her shopping harm you? I find it terribly disturbing and juvenile to delight in belittling others simply because their actions do not mirror yours.

I just got thru reading the comments on this thread. I saw how it devolved into name calling. I saw that Terri Lynn, who is a very kind and thoughtful participant, plans to step away from the forum due to the comments. She may not be the only one.

While I certainly get that shopping isn't something every wants to do on tour, it's ok that some do. I'm allowed to have my silly magnet collection. As long as it isn't personally impacting you, why all the snarky comments? Even if made in humor, humor often doesn't translate well online. We're all allowed to take the tours we're interested in and to focus on the sights and activities that we like. And we should be able to do this without being attacked.

Yes, if someone else's shopping obsession is causing negative impacts on the tour activities or schedule, then that impact is fair game. But just attacking someone because of a activity you don't personally think is valuable is not. Sometimes the advice we learned as kids applies - if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all.

Well said terrilynn