A Story Teller, History Buff; Foodie. Doing this job for the last 10 years. As a Delhi local
Old Delhi or Shahjahanabad was established by Mughal emperor Shahjahan who built the Taj Mahal.
He wanted to make a city that is the shopping capital of the world & he perfectly designed the city in that manner.
Old Delhi is just like Amazon for shopping, from needles to heavy machinery, You can find anything here.
An open-air market or commercial hub with numerous markets offering everything from books/stationery, traditional Saris to Raw Fabric and Silver jewelry and spices, Pashmina & cotton scarfs to Rugs and carpets. Old Delhi is any shopper’s paradise. It’s also a place that can be confusing to navigate, but if you know exactly where to head (and for what kind of products), old Delhi shopping can be a lot of fun. That’s exactly where your Guru to old Delhi’s bazaars will sort you out.
Meeting Point - Red Fort Metro Station Gate No 4
Kinari Bazaar is the city’s fabric heaven. It’s got numerous shops offering sequins, zari borders, latkans, buttons and everything else that you need to deck up an old outfit. Collections of cute potlis and pouches (Ladies purses) – perfect for wedding favors and gifts. Just off Kinari Bazaar, there’s also a cluster of nine, teal-colored havelis called Naugraha. These are basically generations-looking jewelry stores where you can find lovely silver jewelry starting at INR 1,000.
Chawri Bazaar is a wholesale market for brass and copper articles, and wedding invites. This market has got rows and rows of shops with wedding invitation cards & samples, including the ones in the most basic colors and styles, as well as fancy (and obviously, some garish) ones with music, lights and the like.
Asia’s largest wholesale spice market, Khari Baoli is located at the west end of Chandni Chowk. It’s a veritable world of spices, dried fruits, nuts, aam paapad and even the most exotic spices and condiments you probably wouldn’t find anywhere else, at affordable rates. Plus, most of the shops here are almost centuries old and the owners would have a lot of interesting tidbits to share related to the spice trade and different spices. If you have a sensitive nose, be sure to carry a mask or an extra scarf
Love silver jewelry? You definitely have to check out Delhi’s very own silver jewelry market, Dariba Kalan. In this 17th century market, you can score beautiful silver pieces for at least 25 percent less than what you’d find at most stores in Delhi. From 92.5 sterling silver rings to heavy necklaces, or even simple nose rings, Dariba Kalan is a treasure trove of all things silver.
Shoes & Optical Market - A popular market known for its variety of shops. In the tiny shops cramped one next to another, you’ll find some of the most affordable shoes, spectacle frames and sunglasses. Most Shoes & optical stores across Delhi NCR purchase frames in bulk from this market.
Once upon a time, Katra Neel was famous for its indigo cloth traders. Now, it’s a lot more than just indigo. This market has got stores offering various fabrics and bling-y readymade wedding clothes for both for men and women. The best part about this market is that the cloth material you’ll find here is of impeccable quality and is also priced ridiculously low. You can get a two-piece Business suit stitched for just INR 8,000!
Sadar is a wholesale market for well, a lot of things. You can find everything from artificial jewelry and plastic toys to household goods like crockery and storage boxes, as well as a few stores selling readymade women’s garments. We even found a hidden lane in Sadar full of the craziest party supplies we’ve ever seen (think neon ice cubes, Modi masks, hanging bodies and more).
Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).
