Literally
speaking, Uttar Pradesh is shoppers delight. No where and I repeat, no
where in India will you get a range of products on offering as in Uttar
Pradesh. It will not be a bit of aberration to say that almost each and
every town of Uttar Pradesh has something or other for you to offer. The
reason behind this phenomenon is the rich art and crafts heritage of
this state. Muslims, who are considered to be master craftsman in India,
are present in a sizable number in most of the cities of Uttar Pradesh.
Most of these families are traditional craftsmen who have been
patronized by some or other royals in the course of History. Starting from western Uttar Pradesh, Moradabad should be your first destination. The place is famous throughout the world for its brassware and bronzes. You can shop for beautiful bronze and copper items that include small busts and statues, utensils, mementoes and memorabilia. These are a must buy items. Nearby is Aligarh, a town famous for its locks. The locks that are manufactured here are exported throughout the world. Even the famous 'Chinese Locks' are produced in Aligarh only. Close by are Saharanpur and Bareilly; towns that are famous for furniture. While the former has an expertise in wooden furniture the later excels in Wrought Iron goods. The shops have facility to deliver the desired goods anywhere in India and World. Check out some of them.
In between falls Rampur, a city that has almost legendry stature in manufacturing knives. The city produces knives of every kind and make. You are not allowed to carry these on Airplanes therefore you will have to be contained with the miniatures. Firozabad is famous for glassware. The glass items especially bangles are famous all over the world. Apart from bangles there are many kinds of dinner-sets and other cutleries. The Taj city of Agra is not far behind. The city offers some of the masterpieces of marble and bone works. The must buys are miniature marble Taj and Elephant Bone statues of Jesus Christ. Farrukhabad and Pilakhua are famous for hand-printing works. These cities produce some of the most beautiful bed sheets and drapes in the world. Do buy a few of them for they are very costly in Europe.
In the central Uttar Pradesh and Oudh region, Lucknow rules the roost. The town is the only center in the world for the famous Chikankari works on the clothes. These clothes are extremely fine and compete with the muslins of Murshidabad. This is a must buy in UP. The craze of this item among British is legend in itself. Kanpur, a city just 80 kilometers from Lucknow, is famous for its leather products. The city produces leather items of the finest quality. Do buy a few wallets and belts.
In the eastern Uttar Pradesh region, Varanasi that was previously called Benaras is a great place to shop for. The city is famous for its Zardozi works. These are done on various items such as clothes, mirrors and woods. The city is also famous for its saris. The Banarsi Saris are a must buy in Indian weddings. These saris are very heavy but do make some space for at least one such sari.
