CRAFT, KITSCH AND ALL THINGS COOL

From Afghan jewellery to quirky clutches, here’s what you must buy from Gujarati Market, Janpath

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Janpath, this colourful lane is dotted with small shops that sell everything from kitschy bags to saris, home linen and gypsy jewellery. Shoppers often popularly call it the Banjara Market. Set up by Gujarati families who have made Delhi their home, this market is a dream come true for those who love all things coloruful and kitschy. Most of the shops here are run by women. One such shopkeeper, Chanda, 32, keeps fixing the pallu of her bright chiffon sari as she talks.“Dilli ki ladkiyan kitni sundar dikhti hain. Itne achche achche sandals pehenti hain. Unka style sabse alag hai (Delhi girls are so pretty. They wear such nice heels. Their style is different),” she says, as she shows us a bright embroidered scarf. “Yeh sab humare gaon me banta hai, Gujarat mein. Meri maa yahan le kar aati hain. Unko pata hai ladkion ko kya pasand hai (These items are made in my village in Gujarat.

My mom gets these here. She knows what girls like),” says her partner Kanchan, 25. Kanchan tells us that the government has promised electricity and they are eagerly waiting for it. The heat often gets to them. The women are very happy that their items are a hit among students. “College girls ko sabse zyada banjara jewellery pasand hai (college girls love banjara jewellery the most),” says a seller.

Foreigners are also a fan of their products. “Angrez sari, jhola aur gift items le kar kar jaate hain. Unke neele-gulabi baal humko samajh nahi aate. Lekin woh Dilli ki ladkion ki tarah bargain nahi karte. (Foreigners buy saris, bags and gift items. We don’t understand why some of them have blue-pink hair. But they don’t bargain like Delhi girls),” says Anuradha, 45.

Here’s what you must buy from these chirpy ladies on your next visit to Gujarati Market, Janpath.

Afghani jewellery is a hot seller here. We picked this oxidised silver lotus earring with red glass embedded in it. It can instantly add a pop of colour to a simple and subtle ensemble. Price: `500 onwards A bright embroidered waist-jacket or koti can...