Here I will share with you my experience of shopping in Agra. Although it is undoubtedly the greatest icon of India, it is not only from the Taj Mahal that Agra lives. Indeed, although this city belonging to the state of Uttar Pradesh owes its world fame to this spectacular mausoleum. Its corners offer many other leisure options.
One of them is the “shopping”, which in the case of Agra goes far beyond the simple hunting and capture of “souvenirs”.
Shopping in Agra Tips and Advice
How could it be otherwise, the facade of the beautiful Taj Mahal is the inspiration for one of the most typical products. When shopping in this town: marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. Far from being a baroque or “kitsch” piece, the truth is that they are admirably made.
The good profession of local artisans can be verified “in situ” by visiting a workshop. Of course: despite the fact that labor in India is cheap, the prices of marble pieces are astronomical, since they require many hours of dedication.
Read More: Best places to visit in Agra
In any case, sellers will always lend themselves to haggling, so it’s worth trying to get these souvenirs at a more reasonable price.
Also, beware of those who offer marble products at the entrance to monuments at lower prices. And it is that nobody gives the hard to four pesetas.
In most cases, the inlays have been made with colored glass, and not with semi-precious stones.
The same goes for marble, which is sometimes replaced by alabaster.
And The latter is distinguished from the former in that it can be scratched with a coin.
Another typical Agra product is the colored stones known as ” Black Star ” and ” Star Rubee “.
Which are quite expensive as a rule and widely used to make rings. Once again, you have to be careful not to buy crude imitations at the price of authentic stone.
Finally, one last recommendation: If you choose to go to the stores in «rickshaw», it must be borne in mind that, in many cases, the seller receives a commission on sales, so the product will always be more expensive. Therefore, as far as possible, it is worth shopping in Agra on foot or by other means of transport.
