The best of India’s street shopping: Mumbai & Delhi

Malls and online shopping seem to have become a mundane phenomenon when you can shop in Mumbai’s bustling streets or, if you’re in the capital, soak in all the splendour Delhi has to offer while doing so. I stepped out to do a little research at a few street shopping havens, like Mumbai’s Colaba Causeway, Hill Road, Linking Road and Waterfield Road, and Delhi’s famous Sarojini Nagar, Janpath, Lajpat Nagar, Pahargan, and damn! I’ve been to heaven and back!

MUMBAI

Colaba Causeway

You’ll find trendy clothes, hippy jewellery and the yummiest food, all here at this stretch. And as you make your way through the sea of bargain hunters, stop by Leopold Café, one of the oldest in the city. Avoid buying footwear from here as it is not long lasting or good quality. Some shops do tend to have the exact same pattern of clothes so keep a look-out for ones that stand out. The quality of the bags may not be the best but they are indeed fashionable and if you’re a true bargainer, they’re a total steal. For Indian clothes, head to the little stall near Kamat Restaurant. You can get Lucknowi Kurti’s at dirt cheap prices (INR 450-500). There is a shop opposite to Cusrow Baug which sells amazing Kashmiri Kurti’s at cheap rates.

Hill Road, Bandra

There’s no end to what you can find in the Queen of the Suburbs. There is a shop towards the end of the Hill Road that sells crochet jackets and tops at INR 250-300. It’s a fixed price but totally worth it. At the start of the road, there is a lane to the left where you’ll come across lot of small boutiques that sell clothes and footwear (rainy footwear in particular).

Linking Road

If you’re looking for denims that don’t cost a thing, Linking Road is your best bet. Be it jeans, jackets, shorts or dungarees, there’s plenty for everyone. Most people tend to flock Bandra for shopping on this particular stretch so you will have to navigate your way through a sea of hagglers. You’ll also find an abundance of local and branded footwear stores and almost all of them have sales going on frequently in the year.

Waterfield Road

At Bandra’s Waterfield Road, you’ll find quaint boutiques in every nook and corner that sell the fanciest formals or even smart-looking casual wear. And they’re all negotiable if you have the skills. For those of you who have a prom to attend or an impending wedding in the family, this is your one stop shop for everything formal. I picked up a lovely sequined black dress just for INR 1500 from one of the boutiques located here.

DELHI

Janpath Market

Browse through some fashionable clothes, handicraft items, accessories and loads of hippie stuff in this market. The accessories are a little overpriced for street shops in Janpath. Outside the market you’ll find some at cheaper rates but once you enter the market it gets expensive and the shopkeepers don’t give into your bargains much. They also have shops which sell home decor items and if you manage to bargain well, it won’t cost a penny. The shops here sell some really trendy clothes but they’re slightly expensive for street shops as compared to Mumbai.

Sarojini Nagar

You’ll get all the clothes that you’d probably find in Zara or Forever21 at dirt cheap prices here. You may not find the best quality here but whatever you find will be total value for money. I’ve picked up skirts for INR 100 and tops for INR 300 max from this market, but don’t hesitate to bargain or you might end up getting looted! What’s more? A pair of amazing sunglasses at just INR 100 and denim jackets here for a measly INR 200! Can it get any better?!

Paharganj

The area is quite popular with travelers on a budget. It might seem a little shady but it’s your classic hippie market full of foreigners! Everything here is a complete steal and you’ll find better (and cheaper) accessories as compared to Janpath. Even the leather goods here come at low prices

Lajpat Nagar

A typical market for the middle class Indian shopper, you can get everything here from normal daily wear kurtis to semi stitched salwar suits to shaadi wale kapde, right here in Lajpat Nagar. It is also known for the amazing mehendiwalas, so you can get some great henna designs on your hand after you’re done shopping.