Just street shop: Many are choosing local over exotic by holidaying in the city they live in

Rithu Dravid

The colourful and bustling bazaars in the city of Bengaluru, have always been a memorable and adventurous experience for passionate shoppers. Want to satiate your hunger for shopping and still not go back home with an empty purse? Then street shopping is your answer.

“Bhaiyya ji, didi ji thoda kam kijiye” is a typical bargaining style and has a certain personalised charm.

Shopping places in the city are full of treats -- each bazaar has its own unique character and speciality to offer. The vast expanse of things to buy that surround you, adds excitement to your street shopping experience.

At a street market you will never know what will catch your attention and finding a hot-selling piece to take home is a fulfilling thing.

The charm of exploring these streets, roaming the winding lanes, digging into heaps of clothes, footwear or junk jewellery adds to the fun of finding that gorgeous piece to take back.

Street shopping is an activity based on one’s experience and interaction with the street vendor and co-shoppers. “These shops are small, with no place to sit. These hawkers are so customer friendly. The eyecatching things are easy on the pocket and the variety exhibited look so attractive. I end up buying a lot more than I went looking for,” says Annie.

Seeking the best deals and being able to bargain in small ways will always leave you buying more than what you had planned for. The pulsating cluster of the street shops in the city selling both contemporary and traditional things are major attractions for all age groups. “I love my street shopping at the crossroads of Commercial Street. The pedestrian pavements linking these shops are safe to shop and the hawkers sell affordable products. I never get the feel of post purchase dissonance” says Arshiya.

Commercial Street’s bylanes are a paradise for street shopping. It is a one-stop destination for purchasing garments, imitation jewellery, sports goods, and footwear.

With these you get to experience the dynamics of cities. Street hawkers add glitz to the streets and patronising them is a way of promoting small businesses. “I usually shop for sling bags, at times sandals or artificial jewellery. I get good picks and it brings back memories of my college days. I find joy and happiness by munching on some street food as well. The recommended places and the perfect shopping destinations most of us like to visit are the ever bustling – Malleshwaram, Jayanagar and the cross roads of Shivajinagar”, says Chandana.

Another popular destination for street shopping is Chickpet. Street shoppers like Pallavi shop for artwork, pottery, and sculptures at affordable rates from there. She says, “I leave home early to get hold of the newest buys. The later it gets the more crowded it becomes making it difficult to shop.”

While there she drops by Avenue Road that is known for second-hand books – from textbooks to novels, cookbooks to books on architecture. “These hawkers here are sure to give you the best deal. I browse through secondhand books displayed on pavements. This is my favourite hunt. Most of the books are in excellent condition, and if you are lucky, you might even find some rare edition of your favourite novel,” says Pallavi.

So whenever you have nothing to do or just feeling down, take a stroll through these bylanes and soak up the lively atmosphere.