Shopping in Agra

This popular travel destination will provide you with ample options of colourful bazaars, retail outlets and government emporiums that will allow you to collect gift items for yourself and your loved ones to your heart’s content.
Agra being one of the biggest and finest markets of textiles and embroidered garments in the country has a large number of workmen, who excel in this work of art. This city is also home to numerous talented artisans, sculptors, weavers, painters and other craftsmen who produce these wonderful pieces.

Things to Buy in Agra

Agra is a place where one will find the traditional culture of India translated into various works of handicrafts. Given below are the best artworks that need to be picked up from this place.

Marble Handicrafts

Marble is the first and foremost thing that you would need to look at in Agra. There are numerous shops that stock fabulous items crafted out of marble with inlay work. Different marble works the more popular ones are miniatures of Taj Mahal, plates, flower stands, pen stands, incense burners and holders, jewellery box, coasters, figures, which also have designs made with various coloured stones set in the marble. 

Zardozi and Embroidered Garments

The city is one of the main centres of zardozi work, a kind of embroidery that has a long history. The term actually means ‘sewing with gold strings’ in Persian, though in the present times weavers make use of silk and copper wire polished with gold or silver.

Agra has a wide array of beautiful works of zardozi and embroidery on textiles such as silk and satin to offer. The leather items that can be bought from here are bags, briefcases, shoes, belts, jackets, gloves at throwaway prices in comparison to other cities, but for that you will need to drive a hard bargain.

Panchhi Petha and Dalmoth

If you visit Agra and do not get to taste the famous sweet of Agra, the petha, it would be an incomplete travel experience. The other snack that is very popular is the relishing dry snack dalmoth. Though there are different brands of this confectionery and savoury available in the city, it is advisable to buy the one called Panchhi to enjoy the best quality.

Where to Shop in Agra

There are numerous markets and traditional bazaars in Agra from where you can pick up crafts that Agra is famous for. Given below are the places where you need to visit for your shopping:

Gokulpura

Gokulpura is the place to be in for buying different marble items at wholesale prices. The place has a number of shops in a narrow lane that sell different crafts of marble and stone that can range from furniture to small boxes and miniatures of the Taj Mahal. Gokulpura is situated near Raja Mandi (MG Road) and can be accessed easily by auto rickshaws.

Sadar Bazaar

Sadar Bazaar, located close to the Agra Cantonment Railway Station, is one of the most popular markets for various craft items and leather goods. This market is strategically well placed, being close to the residential part of Mall Road as well as the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, which allows tourists easy access to the place.

Sadar Bazaar opens at around 11 am and closes by 10 pm everyday other than Tuesday when the market stays closed.

Kalakriti

Kalakriti, a unit of the Oswal Traders, houses one of the most reputed stores in Agra, where you can pick up works of marble inlay, high-end crafts, furniture, jewellery as well as works in wood and thread. This is a reliable place in terms of pricing and delivery.

India Leather House

This is a shop located in Bansal Nagar on Fatehabad Road caters excellent quality leather items, including bags, purses, jackets, waistcoats and other leather crafts. 

U.P. Handicraft & Handloom Centre

Situated near the Eastern Gate of Taj Mahal this shop is another good place to buy marble items, rose wood figures, guide books, postcards and other Indian handicraft items. They accept both credit and debit cards along with cash.

Other Markets in Agra

There are some other marketplaces present in Agra, which are mainly close to the Taj Mahal complex: Kinari Bazaar, Mughal Bazaar and Munro Road. Other local markets of the city are Raja ki Mandi market, Subhash Bazar and Rawatpara market.

The Kinari and Munro Road markets are teeming with shops that stock garments, handicrafts, rugs, footwear, traditional clothing, brassware and jewellery. 

Make sure to work your bargaining skills at these markets to get a good deal. The marketplace at Subhash Bazaar caters for clothing, while the one in Rawatpara is popular for different kinds of spices.