RETAIL THERAPY
Religious paraphernalia, bohemian clothes and accessories, sandalwood, and spices are the popular picks here.
Spiritual Matters From beautiful idols of gods and goddesses to aromatic incense sticks, Ayurvedic oils, religious books, precious stones, and authentic rudraksha prayer beads, the local shops at Lakshman Jhula Market sell all sorts of religious souvenirs. If it’s spiritual music you’re looking for, Music For Soul has a large collection of CDs on chalisas, prayers from Bhagavad Gita, religious songs, and even trance music. It’s also one of the few shops outside of the ashrams that sells yoga mats.
Go Local 14 Shyampur Haat Bazaar is a great place to get an authentic local shopping experience. You can find the freshest local produce as well as a variety of Indian spices at great bargains. Sandalwood items are popular purchases in Rishikesh, and one of the best places to get them is Sudha
Besides sandalwood strings, it stocks a huge collection of handicraft items made of beads, pearls, shells, and a variety of precious and semiprecious stones.
Cool Clothing The largest shopping hub in town, 15 Rishikesh Main Market is frequented by locals and tourists alike for clothes, perfumes, and jewellery. At the small but busy Gole Market, you’ll find a variety of ethnic wear as well as colourful traditional bags, jholas, and purses. You can even get your own sari made from scratch— just select the fabric, border, and blouse. Ram Jhula Market is another place to scour for clothes, especially harem pants and cotton kurtas that can double up as yoga gear. The Garhwal Wool and Craft Shop offers a wide selection of woollen scarves, mufflers, sweaters, caps, as well as wool spools.