Chor Bazaar, Mumbai

Chor Bazaar, Mumbai (must see)

One of the most fascinating places in Mumbai is the Chor Bazaar. Chor, which literally translates to “thief”, and hence culminates to the thief market, is one of the best places to witness the true essence and flavour of street shopping in Mumbai. Essentially a flea market, it has virtually everything, from a genuine spare part of a Mercedes car to an authentic Ming vase here.

A popular destination for tourists, the Chor Bazaar is where you can literally shop till you drop. Don’t feel shy to haggle shamelessly, for this is one place where you just don’t pay what the salesmen's price. Popular picks at the market are old Bollywood posters, antique junk, spare parts, beautiful clocks, old lamp shades and other trinkets. Dense with shoppers and filled with back to back shops and hawkers, the Chor Bazaar is definitely a place to visit.

Located near the Bhendi Bazzar, in South Mumbai, it is very close to the Crawford Market. Although weekends are a good time to visit the Bazaar, the best time would be Friday, as the sellers replenish their stock. A word of advice - you can also expect many more hopefuls on Fridays, so be prepared for a crowd.

What to buy here: Lampshades.

As you already know, it's all about the atmosphere. Re-create an Indian afternoon and its magic by adding a special touch to your home décor. Or better yet, bring a beautiful Indian lampshade as a gift for your friends and enjoy their soft, romantic light whenever you visit.

This traditional handicraft has been successfully combined with modern creativity, the lampshades are made out of cotton paper, jute and bamboo. Inexpensive but diverse materials, a fairly easy technique and a little imagination are some of the ingredients of their rapid ascent. These lampshades are delicate, sporting versatile structures, whose beauty is often times enhanced by craftsmen with the assistance of cut work, ribbons or hand-made paintings. Jaipur, Delhi and recently Mumbai boast rich traditions of making decorative lampshades, for daily use and special occasions such as festivals and weddings equally.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Mumbai. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Chor Bazaar on Map

Sight Name: Chor Bazaar
Sight Location: Mumbai, India (See walking tours in Mumbai)
Sight Type: Shopping

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