Kolkata Shopping

Best Shopping places in Kolkata

Shopping is not a very organised  experience except at the Kolkata shopping malls perhaps. However, it is fascinating for the first time visitor to see the large crowds and wonder what they are up to. Let us take a  look at best shopping places in the CITY OF JOY.

Kolkata

If you have to choose one city in India that is culturally rich  & has a rich historical past , it has to be Kolkata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata). Formerly called Calcutta, it was the capital of British India.  It was in 1911 that the capital  of India  was shifted to New Delhi. At present, it  is the capital of the State of West Bengal. It is situated on the eastern banks of the Hooghly river.

Firstly, the British set foot in India in Kolkata. Kalikata,as it was then known, was one of the 3 villages in that area and hence the name. The Nawab of  Bengal granted a trading license to the English traders in 1690. The English soon established Fort William and established their presence there. Job Charnock, who was an administrator in the East India Company is credited with the arrival of the English  here.

This city is home to some marvellous British architecture. Several Museums, the National Library, Writers building,St Paul’s Cathedral, the Hogg Market  & the Victoria Memorial are beautiful examples of the colonial architecture. Further, Shantiniketan, the university created by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, is near the city. The Eden Gardens ,the famous  cricket grounds, are also in the centre of the city. The Howrah bridge, the cantilever bridge on the Hooghly river is another beautiful landmark in the city.

Best Buys in Kolkata

The English settled in India to trade in textiles. Kolkata, till today, has a rich history in textiles. Silks, Dhakai muslin,Bengal cotton and tussar are some of the best textiles/fabrics that can be purchased here.

 The artisans are world famous for the beautiful gold filigree jewellery. As a matter of fact, goldsmiths working in other regions in India also belong to Kolkata.

Kolkata Shopping Places – Best Markets

Gariahat, Rashbehari Avenue, New Market, and Dakshinapan Shopping Centre are some of the best shopping markets in the city. These markets cater to a wide range of budgets. The most popular purchases are Bengali cotton sarees, Banarsi sarees, Lal Paal cotton sarees, the traditional red & white Bengali sarees in addition to jewellery, leather & terracotta.

Best  Shops for sarees

The finest cotton and muslin come from West Bengal. In addition to cotton & silk sarees mentioned above,   Kantha sarees and Jamdani sarees are also great buys . Priyo Gopal Bishoyi, Adi Dhakeswari Bastralaya, Traders Assembly &K.Bhojraj are some of the best known Kolkata shops for wedding sarees and other varieties of Bengali sarees.

Best Jewellery Shops in Kolkata

Further, the craftsmen of  teh city are famous for their stunning jewellery creations . The designs in Kolkata are truly unique. For instance, shopping for gold jewellery at   A.Sirkar, MP Jewellers, Raj Lakshmi Gold and Anjali Jewellers for beautiful necklaces and Kolkata bracelets are  truly worth it. Silver jewellery is also very popular here.

 Best  shopping places-Kolkata Shopping Malls

The Forum Mall, Quest Mall, City Center Mall, Salt Lake City Mall are popular malls with both domestic & international shopping flavors. The Hogg Market is one of the first covered malls in Kolkata  built in the year 1874. It is also known New Market. It has everything you will ever want to buy from sarees, saree borders, jewellery, fabrics, salwar suits, furnishings, cakes and more. The Dakshinappan shopping mall was the first indigenous Kolkata shopping place.

Darjeeling tea is one of India’s finest exports and the tea houses of Kolkata are very popular. Finally, terracotta art such as the Bankura horses are also famous here. Leather bags and shoes are also very popular . It is interesting to note that several Chinese shoe shops still operate in Kolkata.

Planning to visit Kolkata & go shopping? Check out this essential guide from Shopkhoj.com…