Jodhpur is entirely on a different level. If you walk through the old lanes of the city, you always feel like time has slowed down just enough so that you can catch your breath. This blue city of Rajasthan is famous for its Indigo Blue paint quarters and the famous Mehrangarh Fort. But when you ask any tourist what they brought home from Jodhpur besides the memory, the answer would always be something that they have bought from the old bazaars of the city.
Shopping Places in Jodhpur are not your usual tourist traps that sell overpriced, low quality items. In Jodhpur you’ll find living, breathing markets filled with artisans who have kept their age-old arts and traditions safe and alive. You’ll find brass vessels coming from the Marwar era along with weavers selling Bandhej fabric, that will tell you how OG tie-dye techniques work if you ask nicely. Jodhpur has a market for every buyer, whether you are looking for authentic antiques, traditional Rajasthani handicrafts, hand embroidered textiles or one of a kind world famous miniature paintings.
In this particular guide, we will cover everything that you’ll need from the best shopping market in Jodhpur to the most reliable antiques market in Jodhpur. You’ll learn where to find the best handicrafts shop in Jodhpur and insider tips from our own personal experiences.
The Best Shopping Markets in Jodhpur You Cannot Miss
1. The Clock Tower Market (Ghanta Ghar ) & Sardar Market
The clock Tower Market or locally called Ghanta Ghar is one of the best places to shop in Jodhpur. This is the ground zero for both the first time shoppers and the experienced collectors. Is under this one chaotic roof. You’ll find everything that the city has to offer.
The market is built around the iconic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) and is connected with the nearby Sardar Market. In the narrow alleys of this Market, you’ll find hundreds of stalls that sell everything from spices to handicrafts to hand embroidered fabrics, Flavoured Teas, Antiques, Juttis, Lac Bangles, Tie-dye Textiles and more.
What to buy here: Mathaniya red chilli (Jodhpur’s signature spice), hand-embroidered fabrics, raw block-printed cloth, and small decorative handicrafts. After a good day of shopping you should definitely try the famous Makhania Lassi from one of the stalls in the market.
Practical Tip – If you love bargaining then this is your heaven. You should start with 40-50% of the price quoted and then make your way up.
2. Nai Sarak
While we were on our jodhpur trip, we found out that the best shopping market in Jodhpur for textiles is Nai Sarak. We were able to find traditional Rajasthani fabrics such as Bandhej ( Tie-Dye Fabric). Particular fabric was available in different forms. Be it sarees, Salvar Suits, turbans and dupatta and the experience was surreal for us. We absolutely loved the colour and the craftsmanship was just over the top.
Apart from Bandej we also found out that Nai Sarak also has a good collection when it comes to leather products, block print cotton items, and spices. If you want a more immersive experience then you should go to the Suncity Spices at 112 Nai Sarak. We had a great experience there as the owner is welcoming and will personally walk you through every masala in their shop and offer you to try them. I mean this is the kind of hospitality that makes Jodhpur worth coming back.
3. Mochi Bazaar – The Best Place to Shop in Jodhpur for Juttis
As the name suggests Mochi Bazaar is the place you go when you want to feel what a real, authentic Rajasthani Jutti feels like. In this market you will find the most iconic thing in Jodhpur – Jodhpuri Juttis (Mojaris). These are iconic handcrafted leather shoes that come with beautiful embroidery and Rajasthani art. It is one of the most sought after items by tourists in Jodhpur.
Now the artisans of Jodhpur make these juttis for a wide range of designs and for a wide range of purposes. You can get heavy beautiful bridal jutti to your everyday comfort. Furthermore, the prices are reasonable and on the plus side you can actually see the artisans working on the juttis in their shops. Apart from the famous footwear the market also has shops of lac bangle and custom jewellery, you can try that too.
4. Tripolia Bazar – Best Handicrafts Shops in Jodhpur
If you want to shop for the Rajasthani handicrafts then the Tripolia Bazaar is the best place to go. If you are wondering why it is called Tripolia Bazaar, the name comes from the triple-arched gateway at the entrance of the old city. Now we found this market to be dense and compact, but believe us you will find real gems here. Here you’ll find lots of shops that sell things made from Lac, brass and iron utensils, miniature paintings, famous traditional Rajasthani puppets and the artefacts that are made from marble.
Another beautiful thing that we found in this market was the wooden bangles shops. This is made using the traditional technique where hot lac (resin) is applied on a wood base and shaped by hand. You can get them designed and personalised in whatever way you want.
5. Sojari Gate Market
So while we were on our Jodhpur trip, we also visited this particular Market. Here, we found out that it is a mix of a variety of things. This Market is not particularly famous for any single thing. Here you can find stalls and shops that sell things like tie-dye clothing, oxidized jewellery, mirror work bags, traditional puppets, hand-painted items and other Rajasthani handicrafts of all kinds.
In this market you’ll find lots of artists on the roadside and sometimes there are even live music performances that make the experience much better.
Antiques Market in Jodhpur Where Serious Collectors Go
Umain Bhawan Palace Road Market
As you must have guessed, this particular Market sits on the Palace Road between the Umaid Bhawan and Ajit Bhawan. The market is well known for the collection of antiques that it provides to their tourists.
In this stretch of the market you’ll find things like metal works, designer furniture handicrafts that are made with mirrors, beads and sequins. Furthermore, you’ll also see things like brass and copper ware along with miniature paintings, puppets and sculptures made from marble and metal. Now this place is an exception to the bargain culture that you’ll see all over the Jodhpur as here you’ll find items on a fixed price. However, rest assured you will not be duped as the quality of items fully justify the price you have paid for them.
So if you want pieces of art and antiques with some story or context behind them then this is your spot.
Sojati Gate Antique Shops
Now if you are looking for more specialised and unique antiques, then you should definitely visit the antique shops that you will find near the gates of Sojati Market. These shops are known for their highly unique collections that you will not find in the general shops in Jodhpur. This is a hub for international dealers and collectors who regularly come here to source high quality and unique pieces from Rajasthan’s royal and tribal heritage.
Now, here you will find specialised shops, which means some shops only sell items related to architecture such as carved wooden doors, pillar, peacock design brackets that were essentially salvaged from the old havelis. Apart from this you will also find shops that only focus on items like tribal jewellery, royal memorabilia or vintage utensils.
Basni Industrial Area
The Basni Industrial Area (MIA – Marudhar Industrial Area), is famous for its collection of antique furniture exporters. So if you are looking for high quality antique furniture in bulk then this is the place to go as you will find a wide range of options here. You can get anything from carved wooden doors, to sheesham furniture, bone inlay cabinets and many more pieces.
Best Handicrafts Shop in Jodhpur
Rajasthali Emporium
So if you are someone who is going to Jodhpur for the first time and is not good at the bargain part then this is the place for you to buy Rajasthani Handicrafts. Here you get fixed prices and best quality in terms of the product. Now, this place is a government certified handicraft store so you can shop here worry free. The place has a wide range of collections that includes textiles, jewelry, blue pottery, wooden handicrafts, and paintings, all certified as authentic Rajasthani crafts.
You should first visit here before going to the markets as it can help you in setting the benchmark of price and quality and will give you additional knowledge with which you can bargain.
Maharaja Art & Craft
We visited this shop after seeing lots of reviews across the internet and we were not at all disappointed. They have created a reputation for themselves for being the best handicrafts shop in Jodhpur. What we loved was the prices and the quality that we were getting. If you compare the prices here you’ll find they are much lower as compared to other places. Also the staff is great, they know what they are doing and will help you whenever you need it.
In terms of offerings the store does have a range of products from vintage handicrafts to pashminas to miniature paintings. If you are on a limited time and can’t go to bazaars then this is the place to go.
What to Buy: The Essential Jodhpur Handicraft & Antique Shopping List
Now if you are going to shopping places in Jodhpur without having a rough idea on what to get and what not then you will lose track of what you are getting and start doing impulse buying. This way you will end up getting lots of things that you didn’t even want. So below we have created a detailed list of what to buy:
Handicrafts
- Lac Bangles: These bangles are unique to this region and second you can get it customised for yourself as per your choice.
- Jodhpuri Juttis ( Mojaris) : Another classic that you should not miss, they are handcrafted leather shoes that come in both plain and various other designs.
- Miniature Paintings: These are beautiful Rajput era paintings that are generally done on paper or cloth.
Antiques
- Carved Wooden Doors and Panels from Old havelis
- Vessels made from Brass and Copper
- Tribal Jeweller Sets
Textiles
- Bandhej ( bandhani) – They are famous Rajasthani Tie-dye fabric , must get
- Leheriya
- Block Printed Cotton
So this was all about the shopping places in Jodhpur. Everything that we have discussed in this blog has some history to it , some story to it, nothing is mass produced which means that you take an actual piece of Jodhpur’s culture home with yourself. If you are coming here then come with curiosity and you’ll definitely leave with more that you planned for both in memories and souvenirs and don’t forget to bargain with a smile.
FAQ
1. What are the best shopping places in Jodhpur for antiques and handicrafts?
For antiques you should visit the Umaid Bhawan Place road market, Sojati gate shops and Bansi Industrial areas. Here you can explore a wide range of antiques. For handicrafts in Jodhpur places like Clock Tower & Sardar Market, Tripolia Bazaar, and Maharaja Art & Craft are strong choices.
2. Are the antiques sold in Jodhpur authentic?
Yes the antiques sold in Jodhpur are 100% authentic, given where you are buying from. You need to carefully inspect and only buy authentic places from Basni or along the Palace Road. A little due diligence goes a long way. If you are purchasing something of very high value then you should compare the product across multiple shops and with local guides.
3. Is bargaining expected in Jodhpur’s market?
Yes, in most of the open bazars in Jodhpur you can bargain. A tip for a bargain starts 40-50% below the seller’s price and gradually go up, always be polite and ready to walk away. However, you cannot bargain in fixed price shops like Rajasthali.
Q4. What is the best handicraft shop in Jodhpur for certified quality?
If you are looking for certified handicrafts in Jodhpur then you should go to Rajasthali, it is a fixed priced government certified handicrafts shop. You can also go for Maharaja Art & Craft for well-priced and high-quality antiques.
Q5. What should I not miss buying in Jodhpur?
While in Jodhpur you should definitely buy Lac Bangles. Jodhpuri Juttis, bandhej fabric, miniature paintings, and blue pottery. Apart from this the city has lots of markets so you can explore and shop.
