Shopping
Mumbai is a shopper’s paradise. The shops and bazaars offer a truly amazing diversity of goods, as well as being worth a visit in their own right. Mumbai sells everything from expensive European antiques to local spices by way of electrical goods and silks. In particular, it is the centre of the Indian clothing trade and caters for all tastes and budgets. ‘Fashion Street’, on M Gandhi Road between Cross Maidan and Azad Maidan, is a row of market stalls where some very good bargains can be found. At the other end of the spectrum, Mumbai is also home to a number of tailors who will make clothes quickly at a reasonable cost. For the more adventurous shopper, there is a large amount of Indian furniture for sale in Mumbai, both at dealers and in the bazaars. Caveat emptor is very much the rule and the age or worth of purchases cannot be guaranteed; visitors should trust to luck and their eye, haggle fiercely and hope to be rewarded with an exceptional bargain. Likewise, Mumbai is a major centre of the diamond trade and for those with strong nerves and long pockets, who know what they are doing, it is possible to pick great bargains. For inexpensive yet attractive wooden and other presents, the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, Shivaji Marg, between Apollo Bunder and Regal, is open Monday-Saturday 1000-1900.
For those who like to shop in comfort, the Oberoi and Taj Hotels both boast air-conditioned shopping malls with an interesting range of boutiques. No trip to Mumbai is complete, however, without a visit to the bazaars: Chow Bazaar, Mutton Street, near Sir JJ Road, for bric-a-brac, furniture and junk, Zaveri Bazaar, off Abdul Rahman Street, for jewellery, Dhaboo Street Bazaar, Dhaboo Street, for leather goods and Crawford Market, Dr D Navroji Road/Carnac Road, for fruit and vegetables. Markets are generally open from 0900-1900. In most shops and bazaars, bargaining is the norm, particularly for more expensive items. For shoppers of a more literary bent, there are a number of open-air second-hand bookstalls on the streets near the university, around Chowk Fountain, where a persistent search may reveal interesting volumes among the pulp thrillers.
Generally, shops do not open until 1000 or 1030 but tend to remain open until about 1900. Sales tax varies between 4-15%.
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Shopping