Shop till you drop in Bhopal’s streets

Bhopal is not only popular for its scenic beauty, but also for its bazaars. The street side shops in the city are ideal for souvenir hunters looking for new items. Besides sightseeing, shopping in the bustling markets and visiting popular souvenir shops in New Market and Old City are a must on the list of any tourist.
From traditional handicrafts to shimmery purses, fancy shoes, jewellery, household items and more, Bhopal’s street side shopping experience is fun and meets the demands of every customer with diverse tastes and preferences.The shopping bazaars are also well-stocked with food stalls serving chaat, samosas, kachoris, fruit juice and ice-cream.
Visiting vibrant bazaars in Bhopal is nothing short of an enjoyable experience and the markets offer exclusive opportunities for making street shopping a fun experience. So as the city sets for spring, here’s where you can shop till you drop. Take a look...
A different experience
Heading to the Street Market to shop in always recommended. Sankalp Agrahari, a college student, loves to shop from New Market because of the great deals one can get there. “Why buy a T-shirt worth Rs 1,250 when there’s an option of buying the same thing at just Rs 300 to Rs 350? At times it’s OK to shell out and shop from a mall, but for daily use, I get a good variety of apparel as the collection at the street shops is reasonably priced,” he says. Nimisha Singh, another college student, adds, “Prior to my admission to a college, I had a huge list of things to purchase. I knew very well that going to a mall would not be pocket friendly, but shopping from New Market was within my budget and I was satisfied with the quality too.”
More for less
Street shopping is an amazing experience and one never knows what one might find at an astonishingly low price. Pragati Ahuja, a banker says, “I am not brand conscious, so I love to shop from street markets. Even otherwise, there is a huge difference in the price tags. I have a specific budget to follow every month so places like Old City and New Market turn out as the best destinations to shop. I recently had to purchase gifts for my relatives and headed to the Old City area. Our budget was Rs 20,000 but all our shopping was completed within Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000.”
Delightful deals
For most people, besides pocket-friendly shopping, it’s the sheer pleasure of a bargain that draws them to these markets. “The best thing about street shopping is that no matter how reasonably priced the products are, one always has a good chance of lowering it further by bargaining,” laughs Smriti Pandey, a homemaker. She further explains, “Recently, I bought a pair of fancy sandals from a mall for Rs 500 and because it was tagged we could not bargain. A few days later, when I visited Old City, I bargained a similar pair to Rs 300. This time, besides the design, the price at which I was able to shop, was also appealing. You can’t get such deals in malls,” she adds. Naveen Asthana, who works at a software development company, shares, “I am very fond of shoes. If I go to a mall, I think twice and ask myself if I need a pair of shoes that are worth Rs 2,368. So instead, I head to the Old City area and get two or even three pairs for Rs 600.”
Hunger buster
The bustling street markets also have some amazing eateries and food stalls that serve mouth-watering snacks. Dheeraj Kumbhare, a working professional, says, “I heard a lot about the combination of rabri-jalebi that’s served in Old City. My friends keep visiting the area and the first time I tried it, I realised that it was worth all the praise. At times we also make shopping plans from Old City and if we are hungry, we head to the famous eateries in the area and eat to our heart’s content.” Urvashi Sharma, a mechanical engineering student, adds, “The best place to hang out with friends is New Market. It’s a place where people can not only indulge in shopping but also a lot of good eateries. We love to munch on crispy chhole bhature or enjoy plates of pani puri. It’s such an amazing place, that whenever a friend in our circle has to give a treat, we head to New Market for the snacks.”
Lakherapura for Jewellery shopping
Jewellery Market, located in Old City, is a delightful place to shop and browse for exciting jewellery. Imitation jewellery is something that women love to buy. The place has purses, embroidered applique skirts and shoulder bags, apart from eye catching jewellery. As the sun sets, the narrow alleys come to live with several shoppers who come from far and wide to shop here.
Sarafa Chowk for very famous Bhopali Batua
Sarafa Chowk, situated in the centre of the city, is the best place to head to if you want to purchase colourful and glittering zardozi work in dresses and accessories. Wedding suits, sherwanis and purses embellished with rich embroidery are popular selling items in this Chowk. Bhopal’s famous handicraft ‘batua’ can also be bought from the shops here.
New Market: One-stop-shop for everything
The shopping avenues at New Market are flanked with food joints, vegetable markets, apparel stores, shoes and household items. One can get fascinating silver jewellery, leather products, embroidered purses and bead work at this destination. This bazaar is an important landmark in Bhopal and simply can’t be missed.
1. Imitation jewellery: Rs 150-1,500 2. Neck pieces: Rs 150-1,200 3. Shoes (men & women): Rs 200-350 4. Party wear: Rs 500-700 5. Girl’s tops: Rs 200-250 6. Suits (cotton printed): Rs 350-600