Top Rated Shopping in Varanasi

With a visiting card that reads 'Save your Time & Money', Raghulal Sri Saree Factory surely stands out from the heaps of garment shops that line Dasashwamedh Road. This shop does not welcome slimy touts or guides who are paid commissions for roping in unsuspecting tourists. The result : authentic sarees at factory rates! An interesting range of colors, styles and fabrics await you here, but while in Banaras, picking up the much talked-about Banarasi Silk Saree is definitely in order!

Visitors to India are fascinated by the endless pantheon of Gods in all forms, colors and sizes. Rajasthan Moorthi Kala Kendra caters to this fascination by letting you take home these deities in the form of marble and stone idols. Exquisite carvings are a signature with this shop, whose owners are from Jaipur - Capital city of Rajasthan (another must-visit Indian State). It's also possible to get names engraved onto the gift items. A visit to this quaint shop tucked away along Dasashwamedh Road is a must! Bargaining is possible.

Making the most of its prime location along the busy Dasashwamedh Road, Sunita Beads Shop is one place where you will be spoilt for choice. Every inch of space on all three walls are taken up by jewelry on display. Whether its shiny bracelets, earrings, anklets, necklaces or colorful glassy beads that catch your eye, it's all for the taking here. Be warned: you may have have a tough time deciding what to finally pick up especially since the mind-boggling number of displays spill from the walls onto the floor.

Dasashwamedh Sabji Mandi is the main vegetable market along Dasashwamedh Road which assures you heaps of farm-fresh veggies to choose from at inexpensive rates. Walk through this market and watch the locals go about their daily purchases whilst bargaining for better rates and bigger quantities. Photographers are most likely to have a field day with the riot of colors and piles that lay carefully stacked once dawn breaks; whether juicy red tomatoes, deep purple aubergines or cool green cucumbers, you're sure to find it all here!

Tucked away in the by-lanes of Varanasi's Old City lies the Vishnu Tea Emporium whose hand-painted signs are seen on almost every wall of the ghats area and its alleys. Young Vishnu who speaks a smattering of French proudly discusses how he explains the tea-making process to French tourists in their own language. Home-made spices and coffees are up for sale, while those wanting to sample a hot tea before buying it can do so too.

Shiva Musical House has an abundant collection of musical instruments for sale. Indian instruments like sitar, tabla, flute and a lot more exciting options line up for music-lovers. Many visitors take these pieces home to keep as a decorative possession. Arranging music classes as well, this store has a reputation for quality and services. Prices start from INR3000. Hotel Alka, Visalakshi Temple and Dharmesh Temple are nearby.