Karol Bagh in Delhi
Karol Bagh is one of the biggest shopping hubs in Delhi that houses high-end showrooms with labeled brands as well as open markets that offer trendy fashion items at highly affordable prices. These items include Western as well as ethnic Indian apparel, accessories and footwear. Nevertheless, the specialty of this market is wedding apparel, footwear and accessories. The sizeable collections and variants in ethnic Indian-wear attract hundreds of shoppers daily, and especially over the weekend. However, this market remains closed on Mondays. Located in Central Delhi, it still retains an old-world charm that is fortified by the traditional residences that surround the Karol Bagh market. Besides these items, the Karol Bagh market is also known for the sale, repair and spare parts for electronics and motorcycles.
Karol Bagh (Image: media-cdn.tripadvisor)
History
Karol Bagh first emerged as a residential colony in the 1920s when the residents of certain areas were evacuated in order to construct Connaught Place in Central Delhi. This evacuation, as well as the partition and the resulting departure, along with the influx of certain communities into the area have resulted in making what Karol Bagh is today.
This area turned from being completely residential to being a mix of residential and commercial in the late 1970s and throughout the 80s. For instance the most popular garments market in this area is located at Tank Road, which came into existence in the late 80s. One of the other popular streets in Karol Bagh, called Bank Road, is famous for gold jewelry, especially suited for the bridal trousseau.
What to Shop?
The Karol Bagh market is one of the most sought after destinations when it comes to shopping for a variety of apparel. This marketplace is popular for its range of ethnic and western clothing items along with an expansive range of accessories and footwear. Amongst the many items available in this market, there are:
Bride and Groom Apparel
When it comes to selecting the perfect outfit for one’s own wedding, Karol Bagh is a preferred destination. The range of bride and groom apparel includes a host of different styles and designs for the outfits. Whether a saree or a lehenga, every form of bridal apparel can be found here. This area is also a popular destination with grooms-to-be, as a varied collection of traditional Indian outfits are up for grabs. This range of apparel for brides and grooms is trendy and features the most popular forms of embroideries and embellishments such as resham, zari, zardozi and many more, on the finest of fabrics including silk, jacquard, brocade, georgette and velvet.
Wedding Apparel
Karol Bagh is home to several shops and vendors offering distinctively designed wedding apparel for both men and women. The place is famous for renowned showrooms and local craftsmen, offering a range of suitable dresses to select from. For women, the market offers numerous variants of the salwar kameez, churidar kameez, sarees and lehengas. The men on the other hand can choose from a variety of sherwanis, kurtas and churidars.
(Also Read: Layered Lehengas)
Contemporary and Traditional Sarees
Karol Bagh has a thriving market of sarees, with a plethora of designs available in different shops in the area. Shoppers can select from a range of traditional styles of sarees such as silk sarees in variants of kanjeevaram, ghicha, matka, or cotton sarees in multiple prints. Along with classic styles, one can also find all the modern styles of sarees in this market, with the latest innovations including pre-stitched sarees and lehenga sarees.
Designer Sarees at Karol Bagh (Image: sodelhi.com)
Suits and Salwar Kameez
One of the most popular outfits in India, the salwar kameez is another ethnic dress that is available in Karol Bagh. The stores and showrooms in this marketplace offer a variety of these outfits, with numerous traditional styles and contemporary innovations being available for the shoppers. One can select from a range of Anarkali suits, Patiala suits and churidar suits to name a few.
Salwar Kameez at Karol Bagh (Image: sodelhi.com)
Men’s and Women’s Western Wear
Along with being a hub for ethnic Indian wear, Karol Bagh is also a renowned destination to shop for western wear for men and women. A vast range of skirts, jeans, t-shirts, blazers and much more is available in this area. One can choose to shop from a branded showroom or from the local open market that many-a-time offers imported items of clothing.
Accessories
Shoppers can also browse through a variety of accessories available in Karol Bagh. Clutches, handbags, purses along with a wide range of jewelry items can be purchased here. The market is also home to several prominent brands offering these accessories. Moreover, within the larger Karol Bagh market there are specialized by-lanes housing jeweler showrooms that deal specifically in gold and silver jewelry.
Women’s Footwear
Karol Bagh is well-known for the range of women’s footwear available in the area. Varied styles of both traditional and modern footwear are available with several brand showrooms and local vendors located across the market. From flats to wedges, stilettos, peep-toes, pumps, ballerinas and more, a wide range of products are available in the market. In the ethnic Indian selection, women can also buy mojaris or kolhapuris in vibrant hues and embroideries like kashida or kutch.
Men’s Ethnic Indian Footwear
While Western footwear for men is available anywhere and everywhere, Karol Bagh is sought out by men for its offerings of Indian footwear like Kohlapuri Chappals. For special occasions, men can also purchase jootis in leather or cloth with elaborate embroidery known as sherwani shoes or Khussa to suit the festivity of the occasion.
Facts and Trivia
- Along with the variety of ethnic and western wear, Karol Bagh is also a very well known market for electronic goods, automobile parts and second hand books.
- Karol Bagh was featured in a TV series, 12/24 Karol Bagh, on Zee network.
- Anuja Chauhan’s bestselling book, The Zoya Factor, was also set in Karol Bagh.
- Karol Bagh market is one of the oldest and largest commercial destinations in India.
Reference
Categories: Bazaars, Ethnic Hubs