The best fashion and gift stores North India

The Mehrotra silk factory certainly offers some of the best silk in Varanasi, with fixed prices and unquestionable quality. During our visit, we came across an Indian living in France, who places large orders to supply the chic stores on the Mediterranean coast. This store is hidden away in Varanasi's Lalghat district. For the rest, emporiums are still the best addresses: their prices are fixed. Elsewhere, don't hesitate to haggle.

Little known to tourists, this is the ideal spot to get your clothes made. For sixty years, tailors and their trusty sewing machines have been operating out of small stores. The reputation of the place is due as much to their know-how as to the high quality of the materials used. And the prices are just right. We particularly recommend the Roy Exclusive boutique. Here, you'll also find fabric, bras and skirts to wear under a sari at very reasonable prices. A very good plan to know and to share.

Rajesh opened his store in 2015 to showcase some very beautiful and carefully selected fabrics and sarees. You will find in particular the very beautiful silk saris from Chanderi or the cotton ones from Maheshwar, hand printed cotton fabrics sold by the meter or kurta-pajama-dupatta which will be tailored to your needs. For gentlemen, a wide range of cottons, linens or wools can be cut into shirts, jackets or pants.

Jimy Library is a French association created in December 2006, whose goal is to promote the education of Indian children by purchasing books and school materials, as well as by concrete actions to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged children. This is done through an intense involvement in the life of the schools of Varanasi, and in particular in the Ramnagar detention center for children. In this small and adorable place, you will be able to buy books in French and to donate your already read books.

Marble lovers, this is the place to be. Marble Art Palace is one of the most important marble factories in the world. This family business, taken over by father and son since 1973, offers real works of art and perpetuates the tradition of pietra dura. You will find objects with an antique design, but also much more contemporary works. From small decorative objects to more imposing ones, Marble Art can work to order, in a traditional way, and will send the result directly to your home.

Rakesh welcomes you to his art school in perfect French. He explains all the subtleties of Indian miniature painting, how to obtain 55 shades from natural pigments and the time it takes to complete a work. His miniatures are the work of teachers, professors, students who give free rein to their talent on different supports: resin, silk, old paper, camel bone, marble... Prices vary depending on the performer and their experience as well as the media used. The prices are very correct.

A small, clean and airy store offering embroidered items, as well as nutcrackers, leather sandals and a few wooden objects. Perhaps most interesting is the extensive collection of books on Kutch, most of which are unfortunately in English. Kamlesh also offers a rickshaw tour of the city, at a very reasonable price. You make 7 or 8 stops at Bhuj's main monuments. The explanations are interesting and Kamlesh's cheerfulness is contagious. Tour and visits in English.

This is one of the most prestigious art galleries for lovers of Indian miniature paintings, books from all times and all over India. Tanjore paintings, Krishna representations, old photographs, tribal and folk art from the colonial period, Jain, Sikh. More than 40 artists exhibit here. Mr. Kaicker is involved in research work to decorate prestigious homes and hotels. If you are passionate about art and history, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with Mr. Kaicker who is a real character! Exported worldwide.

The good works of the maharaja here take the form of an NGO whose profits help finance the Ahilya school which educates the children of the weavers of Maheshwar. You will be able to see the craftsmen weaving the famous Maheshwari saris on hand looms. It is impossible not to fall in love with a scarf, a dupata (the large scarf that Indian women wear with the kurti) or a colorful sari. Some fabrics are hand printed in a nearby village. Very high quality products, perfect for a gift or a souvenir.

Odisha is renowned for its beautiful handmade textiles, which are characterized by their bright colors and intricate patterns. This location supports local communities of weavers and artisans who have passed down their skills from generation to generation and use only natural materials to make their fabrics. A wide range of products are available: traditional clothing, jewelry, tribal crafts... And it is also possible to order online. A good address to find an original souvenir.

This former residence has been completely restored in a superb store, or everything is lovingly arranged and enhanced in the way of Western shops. Items, fabrics, bags, decoration items, miniatures, clothing are beautiful invoices and very interesting prices given the quality. You are under no circumstances pushed to consumption, the sellers let you wander in the fifteen rooms. That is another good point.

Created in 1996 by three brothers, Andraab is synonymous with quality and exclusivity. Specialized in handmade embroidery by handpicked artisans. Andraab offers unique products. Each design tells a story, like the eloquence of the poet or the ferocity of nature. All the products are rare, like pashminas, shawls, stoles, scarves, jackets, bedspreads that are a treat not only for the eyes but also a joy to wear. All these treasures are to be discovered in the boutique of the hotel Narain Niwas.

Created in 1996 by three brothers, Andraab has always been synonymous with quality and exclusivity. The brand specializes in pashminas embroidered by hand by hand-picked artisan-artists. Each piece is unique and made with the best materials. Each motif has a story to tell, like the eloquence of the poet and the ferocity of nature. Everything is made with silk, cotton threads sprinkled with gold and silver. Distinguished by the world press, Andraab presents its collections in a district a little far from the centre.

Indian and Western CD and DVD.

Other stores at Gaurav Tower and on Hathroi Ajmer Road.

This store offers beautiful photo books and books in English on religion and history. Therefore, it is more for the India freaks who are looking for books on specific topics. Even if you don't buy anything, you will enjoy browsing through the books, some of which are real works of art. This can be a nice souvenir to bring back home.

Other bookstores in Connaught Place: Oxford Bookstore, 148 Statesman House, Barakhamba Road (^1st floor) - ✆ +91 11 23 76 60 83; The Bookworm, B-29 block - ✆ +91 11 23 31 11 40.

A souvenir shop that depends on the government. Prices are therefore indicated, fixed and relatively low. A good way to avoid scams. Wide choice of articles: Pottery, paintings, furniture, saris, scarves, paschminas, decorative objects, handbags… You will surely find your happiness. 

The Asha Shop is the store of the Ashalayam association and offers handicrafts made by street children and vulnerable children taken care of by the NGO. It also has a pleasant café where cookies made by these same children are sold. The money collected in this way allows the association to help these young people to reintegrate into society so that, once they are adults, they can stand on their own two feet. Do not hesitate to visit the website of this association to learn more. A great initiative to encourage.

A shop where you can find saris, tunics and memories of all kinds. Prices are a little lower than elsewhere. However, you are advised to negotiate firm with Arabinda Dey, the boss, for the best price. 

A beautiful boutique of silk saris manufactured according to the ancestral method of Varanasi. More modern saris. Do not hesitate to negotiate, especially if you buy several. Ask to see Raju Ojha, the maintainer. He will advise you best and will make the best prices.

This agency specializes in road and hiking maps and is the equivalent of our National Geographic Institute, the famous IGN maps. The amateurs of pedestrian or cyclist excursion or of motorcycle rides will take time to stop here. If today's GPS do wonders, connections are not always possible and it's better to have a paper back-up, otherwise you'll end up doing useless kilometers or getting lost.

If you're staying in the south of the city, this is a particularly nice place to browse through books in all genres. Most titles are in English or Hindi. You'll find novels that will make the long hours on the train pass by as well as beautiful books to take home as a souvenir of a memorable trip. Upstairs, the pleasant Cafe Turtle offers a break in a calm and serene environment.

Nice souvenir store where you can find mainly jewelry (necklaces, pendants, precious stones...) and statuettes of Hindu gods. And of course necklaces of Rudraksh seeds, like the one around the neck of Shiva. In addition to its spiritual properties, Rudraksh is said to have health benefits according to Ayurveda. Aditya K. Patwal, the owner, is very attentive to the tourists. He will give you many tips for visiting Badrinath and will give you a good price if you buy several items in his store.

The one that means "street of the incomparable pearl", is the place to get silver and gold jewelry. Originally, this alley from Chandni Chowk, near the Gurudwara Sis Ganj, was the traditional neighborhood of jewelers and also goldsmiths. If the former are still there, the latter are now scattered throughout the bazaar. On both sides of the street, you will see stalls of all sizes. In any case, the sellers are ready to negotiate, but ask beforehand about the price per gram of silver.

One of the most pleasant markets and especially one of the most typical of Delhi. Hundreds and hundreds of books spread out on stalls worthy of a garage sale near you. Students come here to find cheap textbooks and bibliophiles find thrillers, philosophy books, cookery books, religious books, stories, etc. In short, you can find everything, all year long, at low prices. A smart plan: there are always sales and new arrivals, and from August to December, travel guides and key titles of the new literary season at a lower cost.