Kochi Shopping

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To start with, the shop is in an old warehouse with a lovely little space to sit outside under a mango tree. Most of the display furniture is recycled using old tyres, wooden doors and window frames, fruit boxes etc.
You will find a nice selection of natural incense, soaps, essential oils, perfumed sachets, anti-mosquito products and Spirulina.
There are bags, raw silk scarves, bangles, bindis, greeting cards and postcards, T-shirts and recycled goods.
You can re-fill your plastic bottles with filtered water for INR 5 per liter to save on that plastic waste.
Some of the products are sourced from NGO’s or associations and a percentage of their sales helps an NGO working to help destitute children.
There is also a giant chess board in one corner of the shop which can be played on.

What to buy: The natural and bio products are always good to buy. If you want to cover your body in mosquito repellent for example, it's better to have a natural product than something chemical even if you have to pay a little extra.
Also most of the products are from South India and use local produce which is good for the environment.

What to pay: I think nothing exceeds about INR 600 and that's for the silk scarves.

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There were plenty of opportunities to shop. I was interested mainly in buying local crafts, spices and textiles. We were strongly cautioned against buying food to eat "on the hoof" but I could not resist fresh coconuts.The milk was deliscious and there were no ill effects.
As well as properly organised road side stalls there were also many hawkers and pedlars selling trashy "gift" items and dubious strings of spices.
We were directed to a busy shopping street on the way to the Jewish quarter where there were lots of shops of all description.
We found a large emporium run by the Kerala Handicrafts Development Society where I found everything I Wantedat reasonable marked prices - no haggling!

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There are a whole load of antique shops around the synagogue in an area known as Jew Town. They're more like museums that shops with items such as furniture, ornaments, masks, doors, statues on display. One had a 100ft, 100 year old snake racing boat down the entire length of the shop!

This shop, like Idiom Books, do have a very good selection of books. Books on India, Kerala, Cooking Books, but it seems that they have a very good selection on the Religions practiced in Kerala and Cochin (eg Judaism in Cochin).

There are many shops along Bazaar Rd, selling spices, pulses etc. I found that it was much cheaper to buy here than in Jew Town, where everything is more tourist-orientated.
Some are actually whole-salers, but there are plenty shops selling small quantities.

What to buy: Black pepper, chillies, cardomom, cassia, etc

What to pay: Inexpensive

Warehouses and shops in Jew town are packed to the rafters with antiques and curios.

They attract collectors and interior designers from around the globe as well as the tourist looking for an unusual momento of their visit. Carved panels reclaimed from churches and other grand buildings jostle with pottery and other articles of Chinese/ Portuguese/ Dutch/ British origin.
Spice boxes, jewellery and masks make popular gifts

What to buy: Antiques

Jewellery

Spices

What to pay: Bargaining is expected. - as little as You want, to What You and Your Bank Manager are happy with!

All the books on India and Kerala you could possibly want. No hassle to buy anything but the owner was very helpful when asked for assistance. You get a nice raffia bag with the shop's logo to take all your purchases home in.

What to buy: I bought a couple of books from Idiom but my best purchase was a print of one of the wall paintings from Mattancherry Palace. The shops had a large stack of prints available from the Palace and it was great to be able to take home one of the paintings I had admired the previous day.

Indian markets are an experience: bustle, noise, colours, smells, all stronger than you thought possible. I rarely buy anything, preferring to just soak it all in, but Cochin was an exception. The main market area of the Spice Capital of India features many hole-in-the-wall spice shops. No need to look for them, the wafting aromas will guide you there....

What to buy: Star anise, huge blades of mace, big strips of cinnamon, fresh black pepper, big red chillis and exotica like kodampoli (a souring agent used in Kerala dishes - can replace lemon juice or tamarind).

What to pay: Saffron and cardamom are expensive. Compare prices and bargain – traders know what an attraction their spices are to foreigners.

Buy saffron strands, not powdered saffron - it’s always adulterated.