Delhi
itself presents a staggering array of goods, and at very affordable prices.
In the last decade there has been a dramatic change in Delhi's markets. Upwardly
mobile lifestyle has led to greater sophistication in display and upgrading
of various markets in terms of availability of items. For visitors to Delhi, shopping is high on the list of "things to do". Tourists find a wide choice of items- such as carpets, silks, jewellery, leather and silver ware, handicrafts and handprinted cotton - that are synonymus with India. Each item is available in a range of prices, depending on the quality and the outlet.
Another interesting is that each market has its own, distinctive ambience and adds its own flavour to the experience of shopping. Haus Khas Village, Connaught Place and Chandni Chowk are worlds apart from one another, yet each of them reflects an aspect of this many - faceted city.
In fact one of the fascinating ways of understanding a city is by wandering through its market places for it is here that contemporary culture is most visible to the outsider.
Delhi has long been the most important trading centre in Northern India. Many of its localities, like Sheikh Sarai and Yusuf Sarai, derive their names from medieval market towns which serviced the bygone, shifted capital cities of Delhi. Today, all of these have become a part of the rapidly expanding metropolis. Instead of market towns, there are specific whole sale markets or"mandi's" scattered throughout the vast city, and their's is another story.
The
exploration of Delhi's markets could be begin at Chandni Chowk. Despite the
pressures of traffic and population, its historic land marks servive to tell
the story of the last three centuries. Many of the shops here are more than
100 years, old and the mesh of lanes and bylanes is full of superises. Leading off Chandni Chowk are Dariba, the silver market, Khari Baoli, the spice market and Kinari Bazar for trimmings and tinsel. In some of these bazaars the item for sale are manufactured at site, which lands a special charm to the shopping experience well integrated into the culture of the old city, these bazaars offer the visitor a glimpse of life in Old Delhi.
