Udaipur Shopping

This shop has an amazing collection of books made of handmade paper and bound in camel leather which is decorative and totally aesthetic. Camel leather craft is a local craft and very beautiful and unique.

What to buy: Photo albums, files, books, letter pads and much more. They also have these made of silk and brocade cloth.

What to pay: Very reasonable. I picked up books for 20 to 200 rupees.

This is a place to have custom wardrobe made. I had a pair of pants and a shirt made (1 day turnaround).

Monish Paliwal runs the shop. I didn't bargain, though you should probably do this as Udaipur is a tourist place. Also, don't let anyone take you to this shop; find it yourself, to save having to pay a commission. I heard a line "my cousin is a model - come to his shop" B.S.

Anyway, I'm very pleased with the work done. It's possible to have suits made as well. I'm sure this isn't the cheapest place to have clothes made, but I'm happy with the work done.

What to pay: I think I paid 700 rupees for pants and 400 for a shirt

Udaipur is Shoppers Paradise for the Art Lovers. Paintings, Miniatures, Contemporary Art, Marble Handicrafts, Metal Furniture, Jewellery, Fabric, Carpets & Rugs and much more is waiting for your arrival. The proficient Artists here,boast patron experience.

Some of the Firms are also big Exporters of these wonderful Handicrafts. You could also find Huge Art Galleries in Udaipur.

What to buy: Paintings, Miniatures, Marble Handicrafts, Metal Inlay Furniture

What to pay: Just see that you are not in a Trap of local Guide.

A vast array of of books line the walls of this of this shop. I spent hours browsing, and no one bothered or pestered me into buying. Its owner is very helpful, and will even arrange to ship any purchases home for you. Many of these books are not available in western countries, or may be out of print- I found a few that I had been trying to buy for years. I was delighted.

I had to buy a extra bag to bring all my books home- it was worth it.
They also have a very fast internet connection & facilties (R40 PER HOUR)

What to buy: Rare, out of print copies- some new, some 2nd hand. The cost is so low that you could buy 10 books for the price that one would cost here in Australia.
Many new books are available- and at half the price in western countries

What to pay: Paperbacks from R100- the second hand books even cheaper)

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Roam the lanes of Udaipur and you will find anything & everything. There are so many stalls, and I suggest that you take your time, because there is much to see. I found one particular shop that sold exquisite shawls & bags, which are imported from Kashmir, and returned there often, to purchase yet another. They also sold unusual tribal jewellery.

What to buy: Silver jewellry........shawls......shoes.....miniature paintings. Ayurverdic Oils.

What to pay: Bargain Bargain. bargain. Nothing seemsto have a fixed price. But bargain with a smile.

i went in to this shop with my wife as she wanted to buy locally made rug and textile,we spent allmost two hours here as the salesman displayed all the rugs,saris and other items ,there was no pressure put on us by the salesman, but the good thing was he went and explained everything about how the colour was made and saris were made from unique materials.

What to buy: we bought a rug , saris for my wife and other artifacts.

Udaipur is the centre of the Rajasthani style of miniature painting. I bought a couple from one of the many shops around the Gaugaur Ghat area where the budget hotels are located. I even had them framed and wrapped up in polystyrene as I had to carry them around for about 8 weeks before flying back home. They survived. If you're into silver jewellery then head to the area around the clock tower, just north of the City Palace, as there are dozens of little jewellery shops here.

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Shilpgram is a cultural heritiage and crafts village that is located about 3km west of Fateh Sagar. It is spread over a large area (70 acres) and displays an array of traditional mud huts and houses made from wood, straw and sticks from Rajasthan, Goa, Maharashtra amd Gujarat. Along with the huts and houses, Shilpgram also has a lot of local art and craft on display to buy as well as traditional dancing and music.

Open: 11am-7pm. Admission: Rs25 for foreigner & Rs10 for camera.