Darjeeling is a nice place to buy decorative unique Himalayan items.The street shops are full of variety of local stuffs like Thangkas, Brass statues,tibetan jewellery, wood carving, woven fabrics, Curios and woolen items like Angora Sweaters, Woolen Clothes and Shawls.
1 Chowk Bazaar aka Lower Bazaar
The shops along the lines in Chowk Bazaar on Laden La road sell garments,household products, food & bakery products ,electronics and groceries.This market is where locals come for their marketing , and so, the goods are comparatively less expensive than the chowrasta market.
This market is also a place where you can buy local art and handicraft items.These craft centers, emporiums can be traced along the lines of the market.The Bazaar begins from Darjeeling head Post Office and Runs up to Darjeeling Railway Station.
You will also encounter shopping complexes like Dragon Market and Mahakal Market (not to be confused with Mahakal Market on mall road) on this path.On the way you can find Big Bazaar shopping mall and some small eateries to relax and sip some ‘Darjeeling Chai aka Tea’.
2 New Mahakal Market aka Bhutia Market
From the right side of the statue of poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya on Darjeeling Mall road begins the stretch of shops called Mahakal Market.The market shares common pedestrian pathway to the famous Mahakal Temple of Darjeeling.
The shops also sell other winter stuffs like shawls,colourful umbrellas ,caps, shawls, sweaters.The interesting thing is that they mostly sell genuine woolen items as you can find them knitting sweaters by hand.The woolen items are not dirt cheap but seems to be reasonable considering they are hand woven.
If you are also visiting Gangtok from Darjeeling do not buy woolen clothes from Sikkim as they are quite expensive.Sikkim is known for other specialities and you can consider buying them , instead , unlike woolen clothes.
The shop keepers are open for a bargain if they think you are ‘really’ going to buy.The market was earlier located in Nehru Road and known as Bhutia Market.If you are looking for more inexpensive woolen clothes you can check the Chowk Bazaar market.
3 Chowrasta Market or the Mall Road
Chowrasta Market is the main road bustling with tourist activity.The both sides of the road is lined up with shops selling all kinds of items from fashion garments, Darjeeling tea, curio decors, woolen clothes, books, handicraft items, photography stuffs.
The shops begin from Keventers restaurant and extend up ‘Tibet Arts’ next to place where book shops including Oxford Book Store are located.
4 Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre in Darjeeling
The place is best one to buy carpets ,Scarves, jackets and other gift items.The price is very cheaper compared to other markets.It is also a rehabilitation Centre for the Tibetan refugees involved in handicrafts, training of artisans, and craftsmen.
5 Mahakal Market / Dragon Market Complex
Along the Laden La road on which Chowk Bazaar falls you will also come across two shopping complexes Dragon Market and Mahakal Market both opposite to each other.Mahakal Complex has shops selling woolen items while Dragon market on the other hand is an up-market mostly known for fashion accessories.
At the market you can find clothes are brought from Bangkok.There are many shops selling T-Shirts, tops, shoes, stilettoes, frocks along the stretch.The girly stuffs like ear rings, bracelets, necklaces, stylish finger rings, precious stones, and anklets can be purchased from the shops along these complexes.
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