Shopping In India : Leather Products - 13

Guys, leather products are a popular buy amongst foreign visitors to India. The most popular leather products are footwear and hang bags. In major cities, there are shops specialising in leather wear from jackets and gloves to luggage and office acessories. Contemporary designs are available in Auroville, int he French-influencd state of Pondicherry.

Footwear comes in a variety of traditional embroidery, brocade and textile designs. Bright colours are used in the all time favourite, the utilitarian Kolhapuri chappals of Maharashtra. Jaipur has the longest tradition in classical footwear with the thickish shoes, called Mojadis, decorated with silk, metal embroidery and beads,. Handbags in batik style with bold curves, and traditional motifs come from Bengal.

'Kopi', a rather unusal water bottle from Bikaner, is made from camel hide, Bikaner and Jaisalmer also have decorative saddles for horses and camels, often used as decorations in living rooms.

High raised leather seats with geometrical patterns, called pidis, are made in Gujarat, Red leather embroidered with gold and silk in unique to Madhya Pradesh and make great cushion covers. In Hoshiarpur, Punjab, appliqué work is done with coloured leather pieces. While leather with metallic gold or silvery finish is available in Karnataka, articles such as wallets, pouches, handbags and a wide range of belts are found a plenty in Chennai.

Related Links :

01. Shopping In India : Shopping Exotic Picks - 1
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04. Shopping In India : Know Your Silk - 4
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Shopping In India : Shopping Exotic Picks - 1

Guys, Shopping is an adventure of vibrant kind in India. Exotic images of an India, of silk, spices and saris are alive even today in quintessential bazaars where the passing of time has little meaning. Like some other aspects of India, its shopping experience is full of contrasts. Here chaotic and irresistible medieval shops in narrow lanes with a churning mass of cyclists, buses and deafening honks of fast-paced cars rub shoulders with sprawling modern shopping malls.

Visitors can carry home a slice of India's multi-faceted culture that thrives on its pulsating streets and malls. Dynamic satin cloth embroideries, roadside kitsch of grotesque leather masks and brilliant brass idols vie with ropes of bewildering beads and bells and an exhilarating array of enamel work. This explosion of colour and pageant is sure to take one's breath away.

India's miscellanea of shopping choices include spirited garments, textiles, metalwork, jewelery, furniture, brass, silver, copper, gold, silks and brocades, leather goods, carpets and an unending list of buys. With over a decade of liberalization tucked under its belt, India is also home to the latest in designer wear. The excellent value for money products, are sure to have visitors looking for an extra suitcase to carry home.

Although the best bargains are available in regions producing the specific handicraft, most products are available in major metros of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The uninitiated traveler, not familiar with the ethos of the Indian market concept, will find the government-owned Central Cottage Industries Emporia, an apt introduction to the handicrafts of India.