Saree shopping, Jaipur

We heard that Jaipur was the place to buy silks and jewelery and we did but I found the experience frustrating because in the bazaar there are a ton of stalls the majority of which sell cheap fabrics, jewelry, and many other things. While our guide books has some suggestions the street numbering is extremely hard to follow and almost impossible to find a specific store based on its address alone. We didn't have a lot of time which compounded the problem. We ended up finding some lovely things at a couple of the bigger stores in western style complexes but it made me feel like I neither found a best selection or the best prices.

For serious shoppers it is almost imperative to have some local suggestions - particularly since cab drivers often cannot find addresses. If you are staying in a local inn or hotel use them for suggestions so you don't spend all day wandering aimlessly through congested bazaars.

Saree buying is not for the faint of heart. After finally choosing about 10 or 20 sarees, then it is time to do the real business and retire to a private room for the haggling of quality and prices and whipping out of large rolls of banknotes.