A variety of items are available in Mumbai that can be
shopped for by the tourists to be presented as a souvenir to their loved
ones back home. One of the largest and wealthiest of consumer markets;
Mumbai, serves as a real haven to the shoppers owing to its exclusive
boutiques, ethnic markets and mini bazaars.
Located in the downtown area of the city, most of its handicrafts
Emporia and bazaars like the Crawford Market, Chor Bazar (Thieves
Market), Mangaldas Market, World Trade Centre, Fashion Street, Flora
Fountain, Colaba Causeway, Oberoi Shopping Centre, Breach Candy, Linking
Road and Zaveri Bazar etc are quite easily accessible to the tourists.
Clothes, jewellery, beach items, electronic gadgets and cosmetics are
all available in these markets with an unimaginable price tag. If you
have good bargain skills and you love stylish and trendy clothes, Colaba
Causeway and Fashion Street are the best place for you to go to.
Trendy elegance is what comes to you at Breach Candy and Kemps Corner
but at a dear price. Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar are known for some of the
most interesting markets that generally remain open from around 10am to
7pm, on all weekdays except on Sundays when only a few large shops are
open. Busy markets like Colaba Causeway remain open the entire week from
early morning until midnight.
Some of the Major Shopping Centers in Mumbai include the
following:
Crawford Market
Located towards the North of Victoria Terminus, the Crawford Market of
Mumbai proudly claims to be one of the most popular shopping spots of
the city. Popularly known as Mahatma Jyothiba Phule Market, this
Victorian structure of 1869 is the largest wholesale market of the city.
The very entrance of this market is known for housing a bas-relief
depicting workers in a wheat field. It is known to have been designed by
Lockyard Kipling, father of Rudyard Kipling. The market offers an array
of freshly produced varieties of fruits and vegetables, meat, imported
cheese and chocolates. On your trip to the market, you can also visit
the Kiplings' cottage- the birthplace of Rudyard Kipling, lying in close
proximity.
The Mangaldas Market
The largest indoor market of Mumbai which is known for cloth and dress
material is the Mangaldas Market. The most beautiful of silk to the
purest and most raw cotton can all be purchased from here on all
weekdays between 11.30 am to 8 pm.
Chor Bazar (Thieves Market)
If antiquity and ethnicity is what interests you, Chor Bazar is the
right place to shop for. Unarguably one of the best shopping centers of
Mumbai, this market is known for an odd collection of shops offering
gods like spare parts of automobiles and handmade furniture. Antique
paintings, jewellery, wooden articles, statues, leather ware and general
bric-a-brac, silver coins and lots of other things are also available
here at good prices. Mutton Street is one of the main avenues at this
market which is flanked by rows of little antique shops.
Zaveri Bazar (Jewellery Market)
The jewellery market of the city also known as Zaveri Bazar offers a
range of jewellery in diamond, gold and silver. This market always keeps
bursting at the seams due to its extreme crowd. Napkin rings, picture
frames, snuff boxes; bangles and necklaces in old silver can be picked
from this market at very reasonable prices. This market is also known
for its proximity to the ancient Mumbadevi temple.
