Things to buy in Kashmir
Introduction
Once you visit any place apart from your native one you need gifts and souvenirs for yourself friends and family. Kashmir is not just known for its natural beauty and scenic landscapes but also known for its handicraft products. Kashmiri artwork is world famous for its unique artistic work and the Pashmina shawls. When you visit a place, you always choose something that is distinctive and that the place is known for. You just buy that thing as a memory of that place. As a result, shopping becomes an important part of your trip. If you are the person that loves wooden carvings and handcrafted things then you must go for shopping in Kashmir as it offers amazing stuff for your loved ones.
In this blog, we have listed some famous things to buy in Kashmir for yourself and your loved ones. From Shawls to handcrafted walnut wood Carves, you will get all kind of gift items for your Soul mate, your would-be, your parents, your siblings and rest of them all.
Book Your Kashmir cab service online to reach easily to the famous markets of Kashmir.
Top Things to buy in Kashmir.
Here are Srinagar famous things to buy
Shawls
Kashmiri shawls are created from different fabrics like Wool, Pashmina, and Shahtoos. Woollen Shawls are mostly stay within the budget reach. A needle work is done (Kashmiri Embroidery) on the shawls which is unique to Kashmir. The patterns are made in naturistic aura of plants animals and fruits locally famous and adored.
Shahtoos is the finest quality of fabric. The shawls and scarves made by this type of fabric are known as Shahtoos shawls. These shawls are soft, light and warm. These are usually gifted to high profile personalities and dignitaries visiting Kashmir because of their rare making technique and skilled persons used.
Kashmir is world famous for its Pashmina shawls because of its softness and warmth. Pashmina shawls are made of pure sheep wool. These shawls are very expensive due to their rare existence. The wool required to weave Pashmina is obtained from rare goat “Changthangi” the goat is also known as the “Pashmina goat” and is native to high mountains of Ladakh. Ganderbal ,Srinagar and Budagm are the popular districts for Pashmina weaving.
If you want to get the feel of real and best quality of Pashmina then you should buy it from Kashmir. Kashmiri shawls are one of the best things you could buy in Kashmir.Recently it was mentioned in the Movie Mission Impossible-Fallout as well.
Some tips to check Pashmina Shawls.
- Check its softness , it is always smooth and soft.
- Genuine Pashmina will carry a label and ISI marking.
- Pure Pashmina is not transparent, to check that put the Pashmina shawl under a light if the light passes through it then it is not a genuine Pashmina.
- Genuine Pashmina is uneven, a handcrafted Pashmina will always be uneven in the weave as its handcrafted on antique techniques.
Places to buy Pashmina from : Factory at Rainawari, Munawarabad , Lal Chowk ,Jamaal Factory Nishat, CIE Srinagar.
Tip : Rent a car in Srinagar directly from your hotel to avoid any potential transportation hassles when trying to reach these markets.
Kashmiri carpets
Kashmir carpets is one of the famous things to buy in Srinagar and are well-known for two reasons. These are handmade, and they are knotted rather than tufted. Kashmir is the only place where you can get its purest form as it is hand-knotted and made using pure silk or pure wool. These carpets are usually very expensive and their rates depend on the size and its quality. However, if your budget is limited then you can buy a mix fabric carpet made of blend of wool, silk and rayon. You will find various Persian designs in these carpets because this technique was brought from ancient Persia during the reign of Budshah 15th century. A carpet of 10’x10’size takes anywhere from 8 months to 14 months to prepare carefully. Beware of the fakes and the best way to find that is Ash once its burned. It should not leave plastic like ruminants.
Places to buy Kashmiri Carpets from: Carpet Factory at Rainawari, Munawarabad , Lal Chowk ,Jamaal Factory Nishat, CIE Srinagar.
Saffron
Kashmiri Saffron known for its colour and Flavour worldwide and is harvested just once a year from late October till mid November. It is one of the famous and most expensive spices in the world. Many laborers are used in the cultivation of Saffron and only 6 to 8 pounds of saffron is produced from 1 acre of land. It is used in different types of dishes to increase its flavour. It is very expensive because it is very tough to obtain. Kashmir is known for producing best quality of saffron. A kilogram of pure saffron from Kashmir sells at 6000 USD/
Tips to Check Saffron
- Take some saffron threads and place them on top of a glass filled with cold water. Both will start releasing colours , the only difference is that the duplicate saffron will release colour immediately while as the original take some time to release its colours.
- Rub the threads with fingers the pure saffron will not break whereas the fake saffron will break and turn into dust or liquid.
- Smell it, the smell of pure saffron is a mixture of honey and hay aroma.
Places to buy Pashmina from : Lal Chowk , Awantipura,Pampore.
Tip: Having a cup of saffron Kehwa on your shikara ride is an amazing experience. The beautiful scenery combined with the delicious taste of the tea is unforgettable.
Walnut Wood Carvings
Kashmiri artisans are well-known for their unique ability to carve unique designs on walnut wood.Wood carving objects are the most amazing shopping items in Kashmir. Walnut wood is commonly used for carving purposes in Kashmir .The carving on wood is done by a highly trained craftsman using indigenous tools. They create some marvellous pieces like bowls, trays, tables, furniture, photo frames, and many other items. You will also find many walnut wood carvings products in Houseboats. All of these items look fantastic and are ideal for bringing home and present it as a best gift from Kashmir to your loved one. It is the one of the popular unique things to buy in Kashmir.
Places to buy Walnut Carvings from : Boulevard bund road , Dal Gate, Munawarabad , Innards of Dal Lake.
Kashmir Willow Bats
If you enjoy playing cricket, you should look into the wide collection of Kashmir willow bats that are available at reasonable prices. These bats are light in weight and have outstanding grip. These bats are very tough and shock resistant. That is why Kashmir willow bats are used by top class cricket players. Recently GM Bats from Kashmir have got world famous as many famous and top players are using the brand. The longest six was made in the T20 2022 world cup with the same Kashmiri bat. If you want a best bat do make sure its Players edition it will be costly but worth it.
Places to buy Kashmir Willow bats : Awantipora –Pahalgam road, Lal Chowk , KokerBazar, Batamaloo
Dry fruits
Everyone likes dry fruits because of its crisp and crunchy taste. Kashmir offers a variety of dry fruits and specific spices. Such as Almond, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Figs, Walnuts, and Kiwi are most popularones. So if you love dry fruits then it is one of the best things to buy in Kashmir. You can visit the local stores and buy the best quality of dried fruits for your loved ones.
Places to buy Dry fruits : Pahlagam-Awantipora road, Lal Chowk, PoloView Market
Paper Mache Products
It is the process of converting waste paper to an interesting shape by using paper pulp and adhesive solutions. The paper pulp is then moulded into different shapes and sizes. And once the product dries, it is coloured and decorated by skilled craftsmen. Kashmir is known for its paper Mache Products. In Kashmir markets you will easily find shops and vendors that sell these products. You can buy these products like flower vases, coaster set and other products for decoration purposes. For a small table-lamp to be made into a paper-mache work can take anywhere between 15-30 days. There are various types of painting and design techniques which are used to give it the essence of Mughal and Kashmiri feel.
Places to buy paper-Mache products : Zadibal , Dal Lake Innards ,SaidaKadal,
Also Book : Gulmarg helicopter ride
Copper Ware
Locally known as Traam, It is one of the ancient arts in Kashmir, popularly known as “naqash”. Many patterns like forms of floral, leaf and calligraphic are carved on copper products. Some of the famous copperware household products are Naer(copper water jug), Samovar (a kashmiri kettle used to brew, boil and serve kashmiri salted tea and kehwa) and pot. You must buy a copperware item when you are going for shopping in Kashmir. It is one of the famous things to buy from Srinagar.
Places to buy copperware: RaizyaKadal, Lal Chowk , BokriKadal ,
Traditional Jewellery
Kashmiri jewellery is created with the utmost care to offer a very rich and gorgeous traditional appearance. The Jewellery made in Kashmiris decorated with some beautiful stones that just add to the beauty of the jewellery piece. So, it is a must buy item in Kashmir. You will find many Jewellery shops in Srinagar that sell Nupura, ChaunkPhool, Tika, Kundals, and Kada as these are the most wearable ornaments by people.
Places to buy traditional jewellery: Lambert Lane, Boulevard Bund
Also check: Dress of Kashmir
Dress Material
In Kashmir market, you may get the most stunning traditional Kashmiri garments that depict their rich culture. The complex design and highly skilled (aarikaam) embroidery. Work on the dresses highly impressesthe visitors. You can rent the dress for clicking pictures and take some memorable photos. Pheran is famous and traditional garment worn by the kashmiri people with wide sleeves and stripes border during winters. You may either buy these garments or hire them to take pictures in Kashmiri style attire. It is among the Kashmiri famous products to buy in Srinagar Kashmir.
Places to buy Dress material : Lal Chowk , Munawarabad
Fruits
As we know Kashmir is famous for its delicious fruits whether it can be apple, Pear, Kiwi, Peach, Pomegranate, Plum, Apricot and Cherry. You can buy any of these fruits according to your taste. You need to make sure to consume them within the same week as it will be losing its freshness after few days.
Places to buy Fruits: Floating market Dal Lake, Raizya Kadal , Batamaloo mandi
Wickerwork
Wickerwork “KeaniKaem “or “veer kani” is a handcraft from Kashmir involving weaving using willow reeds. In Wickerwork willow wood is most commonly used. It is used to weave a variety of baskets and trays, and also used to weave the outer case of Kangri. ( an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with coal pieces used by Kashmiris beneath their traditional clothing pheran to keep them warm during harsh winters). Some other items crafted with wickerwork are boxes, lampshades, curtain rings , small chairs and tables, picnic baskets etc. Wickerwork is counted among the Kashmir famous items.
Places to buy Wickerwork items : Floating market Dal Lake, RaizyaKadal , Hazratbal.
Where to Buy
Some famous markets where you can buy these items.
Nowsheera , Lal chowk, Eidgah, Polo View, Nawakadal and Government Arts Emporium.
The best option is to buy Pashmina Shawl from Government Arts Emporium, being a government emporium you will get the highly trusted product. In addition to Pashmina you will also find Handcrafts, carpets and other types of shawls there. But the price may be slightly expensive than the local markets.
I hope this article will clear some basic things such as what to buy in Srinagar Kashmir, What things to buy from Kashmir and where to buy these items in Srinagar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the shop opening timings in Kashmir ?
Ans: In Kashmir most of the shops open from 8 am to 11pm. And very few shops are open 24-hours.
Q. What are Kashmiri famous products ?
Ans: The authentic handcraft product in Kashmir is carpets, rugs, Shawls, wood Carving, Namda etc. You can buy them from local stores present in Kashmir.
3. What Kashmir is famous for?
Ans: Kashmir is famous for its Pashmina Shawls, Copperware, Carpets, dry fruits, traditional jewellery and Walnut Wood Carving.
Q. Which fruit is famous in Kashmir ?
Ans. Kashmir has a wide variety of fruits. But the famous ones are Apple, Cherry, Apricots,
Q. What are some famous Kashmir shopping markets?
Ans: Lal Chowk, Residency Road, ZainaKadal Road, Polo View and Floating Market.
Q: What are famous things to buy in Srinagar?
Ans: The famous things you can buy in Srinagar Kashmir are Shawls, Carpets, Bats ,Saffron and many other things.
Q: What are some famous things to buy in Kashmir?
Ans: Here are some of the famous things in Kashmir to buy are Shawls, Carpets, Bats ,Saffron and many other things.
Q: What are the best things to buy in Kashmir?
A: Pashmina Shawls, Carpets, Copper ware, Saffron are some of the best things to buy in Kashmir.
FAQ's
In Kashmir most of the shops open from 8 am to 11pm. And very few shops are open 24-hours.
The authentic handcraft product in Kashmir is carpets, rugs, Shawls, wood Carving, Namda etc. You can buy them from local stores present in Kashmir.
Kashmir is famous for its Pashmina Shawls, Copperware, Carpets, dry fruits, traditional jewellery and Walnut Wood Carving.
Kashmir has a wide variety of fruits. But the famous ones are Apple, Cherry, Apricots,
- Lal Chowk
- Residency Road
- ZainaKadal Road
- Polo View
- Floating Market.
The famous things you can buy in Srinagar Kashmir are Shawls, Carpets, Bats ,Saffron and many other things.
Here are some of the famous things in Kashmir to buy are Shawls, Carpets, Bats ,Saffron and many other things.
Pashmina Shawls, Carpets, Copper ware, Saffron are some of the best things to buy in Kashmir.
