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CALCUTTA SHOPPING |
There are numerous interesting shops along Chowringhee Rd selling
everything from carpets to handicrafts. The Central Cottage Industries
Emporium at 7 Chowringhee Rd is quite good. The shops along the
entrance arcade to the Oberoi Grand Hotel are interesting but not as
entertaining as Chowringhee's amazing variety of pavement vendors who
sell everything from water pistols to underwear to dancing dolls.
Calcutta's administration is trying to move the street hawkers to
underground markets in an attempt to clear the footpaths, but the
unionised street merchants have so far resisted attempts to budge
them.
Amid this melee are runners from other shops, particularly the New
Market, looking for customers. Naturally, 'their' shop is only 'just
round the corner', but this is rarely true. If you follow them, it's
going to take up quite a bit of your time and the prices of the goods
which you are invited to examine will be relatively high. After all,
it's a long way back and a lot of wasted time for them to find another
punter.
New Market, formerly Hogg Market, is Calcutta's premier place for
bargain shopping. Here you can find a little of almost everything and
it is always worth an hour so of wandering around. A particularly good
bargain, if you're flying straight home from Calcutta, is caneware.
This is ridiculously cheap compared to prices in the west and is, of
course, very light if rather bulky.
Between Sudder St and New Market is an expensive air-con market. In
the basement is City Express Supermarket offering fully computerised
checkouts and at least one supermarket helper per customer, some even
involved in product promotion!
There's another good street market along Lenin Sarani in the evenings.
Down Sudder St or in the lanes running off both sides, those in search
of highs derived from the plant kingdom are attended to by touts
offering a range of services. Discretion is the key word.
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List of Some Markets in Calcutta |
Air Conditioned Market, Shakespeare Sarani
Clothes, novelties, artificial plants, jewellery, electronic household
gadgets, watches etc. |
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Bagri Market, 71 Biplabi Rash Behari Bose Road, Calcutta
700001
Wholesale/Retail Market for Plastic Toys and other products,
Stationery, Firecrackers, Diary Manufacturers, Electrical Goods and
Appliances, Glassware, Moulded Luggage etc. |
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Bowbazar Market, 84A B B Ganguly Street
Wooden Furniture, Musical Instruments, Shoes, Jewellery., Seasonal
Fruits. |
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Barabazar Market, Mahatma Gandhi Road
Wholesale/Retail Markets for textiles, cereals, food-grains, spices,
dry fruits, edible oils, sugar, salt, groceries. |
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Chandni Market, 167/7 Lenin Sarani
Famous market for second hand goods and commodities. Also for
electronic and hardware components, paints, clothiers, steel
trunks/suitcases, audio housing/cabinets etc.. |
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China Bazar, On Old China Bazar Street
Paper buntings, streamers, stationery, crockery, glassware, domestic
goods, dusters etc. |
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College Street Market, 83 College Street
Product mix similar to Gariahat Market. Also known for its leather
goods, shoes, musical instruments, books etc. |
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Dakshinapan Market, Near Dhakuria Flyover
Houses most of the government emporia. Known for its handlooms,
textiles, handicrafts, cosmetic jewellery, fancy goods, object d'art,
etc. |
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Dharamtalla Market, Starts from Esplanade Crossing eastwards
Woollen goods, hosiery, paper and allied products, stationery, musical
instruments, leather and plastic goods, cutlery, firearms, etc. |
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Entally Market, 155 AJC Bose Road
Fish, fruits, vegetables, groceries, textiles, readymade garments and
margarine. |
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Five Star & Fancy Market, Kidderpore
Famous for the wide variety of imported goods available. The ware
includes electronics, household goods, glassware, clothes, shoes,
canned food products, etc. |
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Gariahat Market, 212, 214, 216 Rash Behari Avenue
Fish, fruit, vegetables, groceries, textiles, readymade garments. |
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Jaggu Bazar, Asutosh Mukherjee Road
Vegetables, fish, meat, fruits, jewellery. |
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Kolay Market, Bowbazar, near Sealdah
Wholesale/retail vegetables, fish, milk and poultry products,
jewellery, wooden furniture, plywood, plastic acrylic sheets, fruits
etc. |
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Lansdowne Market, 65 Sarat Bose Road
Chiefly a vegetable market with a number of motor garages in the
vicinity. |
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New Market, Lindsay Street
Calcutta's oldest and most renowned municipal market offers one of the
widest ranges of goods. Recently, a new complex has been added on
Bertram Street to house the partially burnt out section of the market.
The market offers leather goods, plastic toys, fancy silverware,
jewellery, garments, fabric, confectionery, clothing, dry fruits,
poultry products, fish, meat, flowers etc. |
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Treasure Island, Madge Lane, opposite New Market
Air-conditioned, this market acts as an extension of New Market. |
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Park Centre, On Park Street
Stocks the same product mix as the AC Market besides decorative
lampshades. Also seasonal vegetables and foodgrains. |
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Vardaan Shopping Complex, Camac Street
Air-conditioned market with an escalator. Ready-made novelties,
watches and other consumer durables. |
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Shreeram Arcade, Opposite Lighthouse Cinema, near New Market
Calcutta's newest market with 275 glittering shops, modular glass
lifts, sparkling fountains and piped music. Offers clothes, books,
household items, among others. |
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