I still have a couple more things I want to share in this series on "What I love about living in India" and next on my list are the
Indian Bazaar's (markets)
I love that India is one of the last places where consumerism, brand madness and corporate control doesn't rule the day.
In my town there are no american chain stores and no fast food restaurants. It was quite shocking to me on a recent road trip to Delhi when we stopped in a mall and everywhere were American brand name shops, while the air conditioning was a nice treat and for a moment it was fun to recognize the familiar brands but after an hour I was done. The novelty had worn off, I craved my little market stalls, where outrageous prices on factory produced cooker cutter items wasn't the norm.
When you see a sari, or top, or pair of jeans in our local market that you like best to purchase because the chances of finding it again are slim to none. There are not usually ten pieces of the same item, you may find the same top but the colour and design will vary.
Purchasing a sari is an experience within itself, when you enter to the shop it's customary to take a seat on the floor and give a brief idea of what you are looking for; fancy, simple, price range, etc... and then the shop keepers begin pulling out items until you find just the right one!
Don't forget to barter, although many shops nowadays have a "fixed rate" sign hanging somewhere in the store, this is rarely the case, almost always you can find a bit of a discount, especially if you are purchasing a number of items.
Not only can you find great quality items at a fraction of the cost you get to enjoy the rich ambiance that is Indian culture.
Shopping in India is so much fun I've actually turned it into a bit of a job, purchasing treasures and trinkets from Mom and Pop shops and selling them back in Canada, I call it Balanced Soul Clothing and Accessories I feel it is a much needed answer to corporate consumerism that is plaguing the west and helps to support the local economy in the town I call home,
Do you have any funny stories about shopping abroad to share? I'd love to hear them and feature them next week when I tell you about one of my most hilarious shopping excursions...
Indian Bazaar's (markets)
I love that India is one of the last places where consumerism, brand madness and corporate control doesn't rule the day.
In my town there are no american chain stores and no fast food restaurants. It was quite shocking to me on a recent road trip to Delhi when we stopped in a mall and everywhere were American brand name shops, while the air conditioning was a nice treat and for a moment it was fun to recognize the familiar brands but after an hour I was done. The novelty had worn off, I craved my little market stalls, where outrageous prices on factory produced cooker cutter items wasn't the norm.
When you see a sari, or top, or pair of jeans in our local market that you like best to purchase because the chances of finding it again are slim to none. There are not usually ten pieces of the same item, you may find the same top but the colour and design will vary.
Purchasing a sari is an experience within itself, when you enter to the shop it's customary to take a seat on the floor and give a brief idea of what you are looking for; fancy, simple, price range, etc... and then the shop keepers begin pulling out items until you find just the right one!
Don't forget to barter, although many shops nowadays have a "fixed rate" sign hanging somewhere in the store, this is rarely the case, almost always you can find a bit of a discount, especially if you are purchasing a number of items.
Not only can you find great quality items at a fraction of the cost you get to enjoy the rich ambiance that is Indian culture.
Shopping in India is so much fun I've actually turned it into a bit of a job, purchasing treasures and trinkets from Mom and Pop shops and selling them back in Canada, I call it Balanced Soul Clothing and Accessories I feel it is a much needed answer to corporate consumerism that is plaguing the west and helps to support the local economy in the town I call home,
Do you have any funny stories about shopping abroad to share? I'd love to hear them and feature them next week when I tell you about one of my most hilarious shopping excursions...
