Jaipur- Shop till you drop

Reema Sisodia discovers why the capital of Rajasthan is a paradise for shoppers

The word shopping was enough to bring an expression of disgust on the face of my friend Aarti. Nothing on planet Mumbai could excite her to spend even an hour in the market. Her shopping extravaganzas usually ended with two stopovers. I, in turn, belong to that fraternity which thrive on shopping. Aarti was my companion when I travelled to Jaipur for a friend's wedding. We were there for three days and consequently had just a day off to explore the city. Since short-changed for time, I did my bit of research to find the highlights of the place and apart from the sightseeing options, it was shopping, shopping and even more shopping that the feedback recommended. Sunil Mathur, chief operating officer, Choice Hospitality India Pvt Ltd, who is also a fan of Jaipuri specialities, had this to say, “There really is no equal to the Jaipur shopping experience. With Jaipur also being a popular conference destination for corporate executives, there is nothing like combining work with this unique experience. It is India at its colourful best.”Aarti was not too happy initially.

On inquiring about Jaipur's specialities, I was offered a superlative range spanning authentic arts, handicrafts, exquisite gems and jewellery, designer marble products, traditional print and block garments and textiles, blue pottery, rajais (blankets), trinkets, lak ki chudi (ethnic bangles), mojdis (special Rajashtani footware), bandhani work, miniature paintings, kundan jewellery, emeralds, marble figures, gold filigree and inlay work...phew, the list seemed endless.

My ‘research’ on Jaipur city introduced me to Tripti Pandey, an official associated with Rajasthan tourism. Tripti said that a study conducted by an Asian advertising company showed that visitors in Jaipur spend more time shopping than sightseeing. “The epithet of shoppers’ paradise for Jaipur has been endorsed by many in India and abroad. Jaipur also caters to all pockets. You can take home Jaipur in many ways besides photographs,” she added.

For Aarti this whole ‘funda’ of a unique shopping experience sounded a bit like Greek and Latin. But my shopping antennas were on high alert and I went ahead and extended my stay by a day. Surprisingly Aarti also decided to follow suit. Forthwith I got back to Tripti for a further run through. With my basic information in place I set out in the right spirit to enjoy Jaipur in all its grandeur. A traditional Jaipuri wedding proved to be my window to all the specialities which till then I had only heard of. Beautiful kundan studded jewellery, gorgeous sarees with traditional work, authentic Jaipuri artifacts were all part of my friend’s wedding frame.

Everything seems larger than life in Jaipur. With just a day-and-a-half in hand, Aarti, Kavita (my friend’s sister) who to my good fortune loved to window shop, and myself set out to grab unique Jaipuri specialities from their places of origin. Luckily for me it was also the time when I was doing up my home, hence the timing was just right. Kavita took us through an exhaustive shopping journey that passed from the traditional to the modern, from the old and ancient bazaars to present day arts and crafts shops. The bazaars are a treat for those who love to explore and discover. They are all in the vicinity of the famous Hawa Mahal, which is part of the walled city. It is a crowded place and one has to be on one’s guard. Johari Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, Nehru Bazaar, Chaura Rasta, (also called the Sawai Man Singh Highway), Tripolia Bazaar and the Mirza Ismail Road are some of the main markets. Those who think of bargaining as a stressful activity had better go some place else. For me it was full time entertainment.

Johari Bazaar is the stop for jewellery and tie dye sarees and textiles with colours and designs so attractive that it leaves you momentarily stunned. However, since time was in short shrift, we had to move on to other wonderlands. But not without stopping by at LMB Restaurant because Kavita insisted on trying the Dahi-Bara and Rasmalai there. Suffice it to say, the break was worth it.

We moved on to Gopalji ka Rasta, and Haldiyon ka Rasta that house numerous establishments selling jewellery. On the main road itself you find many silversmiths. Also available are traditional tie dye sarees and textiles. This market is closed partly on Sunday and partly on Tuesday.

At Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar, we found textiles, local perfumes, shoes made of camel skin, Rajasthani trinkets and bandhani work. Bapu Bazaar is closed on Sundays and Nehru Bazaar on Tuesdays. Tripolia Bazaar and Chaura Rasta too have textile outlets in addition to shops selling utensils, ironware and trinkets. It is also closed on Sunday.

By this time we could see a new member joining our camp of shoppers. Aarti had started enjoying shopping! It was she who spotted a shop called Amrapali on M I Road displaying amazingly intricate silver jewellery. She still claims it was one of her best buys till date.

Other specialised silver shops which one can explore, time permitting of course, are Ram Babu’s, Kuber and Tholia Sundaram. If you are in the mood to indulge, then Surana Jewellers and Buramal Rajmal Surana’s are worth a dekko for some breathtaking kundan jewellery. If you are interested in carvings in marble and sandstone then head for Khazanawale Raasta as we did. But be sure to have a guide like we had Kavita since these bazaars can be challenging even for the most experienced buyers. It is tough to differentiate between the original and the duplicate.

Along with the bazaars, there are the chaupads. The famous Mirza Ismail Road, popularly called M I Road, is a destination in itself. You cannot afford to miss out on this broad thoroughfare that houses a large number of emporia with a variety of goods ranging from jewellery and brass work to textiles, antiques, handicrafts, prints, vegetable dye, block printing etc. These shops stock a large variety of articles to satisfy the tourist’s need such as souvenirs, curios, gifts, handicrafts etc. These emporia and shops accept international and Indian credit cards and traveller’s cheques.

For block printed specialities, Kilol, Soma Shop, Suruchi and Anokhi are great places to visit if you are not an expert in bargaining. They are situated close to the railway station. If you are hard pressed for time, hop into Aravali Bazaar at Dhuleshwar Garden. This is a full-fledged departmental store that hosts an array of products for the home and office. Rajasthali, the official store of Rajasthan tourism, is also a safe bet. I picked up a piece of the famous Rajasthan blue pottery from there. But if you are flying out, then the Sanganer village area, which is close to the airport, is worth going to for blue pottery and other specialities.

We however opted to travel by train. Thanks to Indian Railways, I brought my Jaipuri collection back home in one piece. And for Aarti, she had to buy herself an extra bag to carry home her share of Jaipur.

Recommended Shops

Government Emporia Handloom House, Rituraj Bldg, MI Road, Khadi Ghar, M.I.Road tel: (0141) 373745 For textiles, handicrafts Rajasthan Handloom Project Board Chomu House, tel: (0141) 313683 For textiles Rajasthali Rajasthan Government Handicraft Emporium, Behind the old bldg., Ajmeri Gate, M.I.Road, tel: (0141) 367176 For a one-stop-shop for everything Rajasthani Khazana, Jaimahal Palace, Jacob Road tel: (0141) 223636 For hand picked variety of crafts from objet d’art to textiles and books Saroj A-2, Tilak Marg tel: (0141) 410927/mobile: 9829083279/ 9297 For paintings and art objects, an exclusive collection of glass mirrors, brassware, books, porcelain and so on Thar 65-Mathur Vaih Nagar, Tonk Road tel: (0141) 554617, 721913. For antiques, silver jewellery, furniture, handmade paper, textile etc. Ankur Exports Opp. Rambagh Palace Tel: (0141) 741853, 741921 For carpets and dhurries Art Age 2-Bhawani Singh Road, tel: (0141) 381720 and 381726 Siddharth Carpet Mfg., B-84/A Ganesh marg, Jaipur, tel: (0141) 519795, 702970 For carpets and dhurries Amrapali Panchbatti, MI Road, tel: (0141) 377940 For gold, silver and tribal jewellery India Boutique Suit-102, Kadamb Apts. Udai Marg, Tilak Nagar, tel. (0141) 624273 For jewellery, gemstone and silver Surana Jewellers of Jaipur B-7E, Surana Enclave (Intersection) Ram Singh Road and Prithvi Raj Road, Jaipur, tel. (0141) 372544, 360891 For precious stone jewellery Bhuramal Rajmal Surana Old outlet: Johari Bazaar tel. (0141) 560628, New outlet: D-68, J&N Marg, Near Police Memorial. tel: (0141) 570429-31 For precious stone jewellery Tholia’s Kuber Tholia Bldg, MI Road. tel: (0141) 367334 For silver jewellery and other art objects Silver Mountain Chameliwala Market Tel: (0141) 377399 For silver jewellery Maneeka H-10, Chameliwalon Ka Market tel: (0141) 375913 For old tribal jewellery Juneja Art Gallery 6 and 7 Lakshmi Complex, MI Road tel: (0141) 367448 For paintings by eminent contemporary artists. Kalakriti Art Gallery 371, Vidut Nagar, Ekta Path, tel: (0141) 351138-352434/Mobile: 98290-09924 For life portrait and miniature paintings Jaipur Saree Kendra Ganapati Plaza, M.I.Road tel. (0141) 372246, 388662 For sarees, Rajasthani costumes Utsav 67-68, Saraogi Mansion, MI Road, Jaipur, tel. (0141) 444343, 567841. For a special collection of traditional sarees and lahangas Anokhi Tilak Marg, tel: (0141) 381247 For designer clothing and furnishings