Agra Shopping

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Tucked away in the narrow alleys of Sadar Bazaar are some fascinating varieties of shoes sold on the street for a great bargain. I went from the end where there is an icecream stall where the market starts. The first alley is further ahead from a shoe shop called Berry's and is a great place to shop for flip flops. Slightly further down the lane, there is another alley which does not have as many stalls as the others , but it boasts of some really quaint belle shoes with amazing designs. Just have a look at the beauties I bought.

What to buy: Belle shoes particularly, but flip flops are also nice

What to pay: About 5 - 8 USD per pair

This shop looks like a little poky thing from the outside, but once inside you find they produce leather goods of such quality, that they supply the leather jackets for River Island, and have also made a leather trenchcoat for Bill Clinton. Situated 1/2 a km from the taj mahal, they will tailor the clothes (if needed) and deliver them to your hotel room, later that day. I couldn't justify buying the rediculously high priced marble when I saw children fighting over an apple ,but felt my money was well spent here.
bohraleathher@yahoo.co.in

What to buy: bags,jackets,waistcoats,wallets,crafts

What to pay: not cheap but leather which feels as comfy as suede, 120 euro for jacket, wasn't lookin for another leather jacket, but it just felt too good.......They gave me free gifts as well (4 fantastic camals with leather saddles & a leather whip)

Other crafts you will find in Agra are beautiful embroidery work and carpets/rugs, brassware, leatherware and jewellery. Better quality goods are best bought at the Government Emporia or the U.P. Tourism souvenir shops.

Other than the Government Emporiums there are other places to check out such as the Sadar Bazaar, Raja-ki-Mandi, Kinari Bazaar and Munro Road. There is also the Shilpagram crafts village who sell marble items direct by the artists.

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The best way to check for an item being of marble rather than stone or anything else is the opaqueness which allows light to pass through. You will find many sellers on roadside stalls passing off marbleware when in fact it is not.

If you just want a souvenir, then there are marble replica’s of the Taj Mahal which are created with great accuracy and detail. Otherwise there is anything from a trinket box to large table tops to choose from. Be warned, they are not cheap.

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Agra is renowned for its marble tabletops, vases and trays, inlaid with semi-precious stones in ornate floral designs, in imitation of those found in the Taj Mahal.

There are several large emporiums such as the official-sounding Cottage Industries Exposition on the Fatehabad Road, which is well presented but outrageously expensive; it is one of the places you're likely to be taken to by a commission-seeking driver/ guide, and that's what happened to my group.

What to pay: For peopie with DEEP POCKET.

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Petha has been Indian favourite for centuries for its sublime flavor. This innocuous pumpkin like vegetable has been transformed into a gourmet's fantacy in the famous crystalline and trunslucent form of sweetttttt.I tried it once and still fantacizing its taste. Didnt succeed to find it in many states of the country, and regreted not buying 5 boxes of it.

Termed as Kushmand in ancient Ayurveda, Petha is believed to have remarkable curative properties, Wholesome and nutritive. It is known to act like a blood coagulant and is used in treatment of peptic ulcers and obesity

What to buy: .