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Explore Darjeeling
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Most curio shops are on Chowrasta and along Nehru Rd. All things Himalayan
are sold here - thangkas, brass statues, religious objects, jewellery, wood
carving, woven fabrics, carpets etc - but if you are looking for bargains
you have to shop judiciously and be prepared to spend plenty of time
looking. Thangkas in particular may look impressive at first sight, but on
closer inspection of the cheaper offerings you will find that little care
has been taken over the finer detail. If you are looking for bronze statues, the real goodies are kept under the counter and cost in multiples of US$! Woodcarvings tend to be excellent value for money. Most of the shops accept international credit cards. West Bengal's Manusha Emporium, on Nehru Rd, is a fixed-price shop selling Himalayan handicrafts, silk and handloomed products. There is also a market off Hill Cart Rd next to the bus and taxi stands. Here you can find excellent and relatively cheap patterned woolen sweaters. If you need an umbrella these can be bought here cheaply. Made out of bamboo, they are collectors' items themselves! For Tibetan carpets, the cheapest place in the area is at Hayden Hall, opposite the State Bank of India on Laden La Rd. It's a women's co-operative - excellent value and well worth checking out |
