From spices to I-T products to fruits and vegetables to readymade garments as well as electrical fixtures, Delhi has it all.
When your city has the largest thriving marketplaces in Asia – from spices to I-T products to fruits and vegetables to readymade garments as well as electrical fixtures – it is something to be proud of. Here’s listing the best five that have a wide range of products on offer at pocket-friendly prices.
Spices
Established in the early 17th-century, the largest wholesale spice market in Asia is located at Khari Baoli near Fatehpuri Mosque in Chandni Chowk. The place was named after the saline (khara which over time became khari) water stepwell (baoli) that once existed here.
The market now offers spices, herbs and other food products like dry fruits, tea, rice, papads, sugar… Spices are available in a variety of forms – chopped, ground, roasted, sautéed, fried, whole as well as toppings. Do make a note of the quirky shop names like Rice Seller No. 13 or 15 Number Ki Dukaan.
Electrical fixtures
Bhagirath Palace is a one-stop wholesale destination for electrical equipment, lighting, lamps, switches and decoration items. Before it became a market, it was a palace built by Begum Samru and was known by her name till one Seth Bhagirath Mal bought it over.
In time, it came to be called Bhagirath Palace. It is also famous for housing the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar after his arrest by the British during the First War of Independence.
Readymade garments/textiles
Located in east Delhi, Gandhi Nagar is Asia’s biggest readymade/textile market. You will find many shops here that sell kids wear, menswear and women wear – salwar suits, partywear, kurtas, designer blouses, dupattas, shirts, jeans, pants at wholesale prices, some priced as low as Rs 20. You will need to buy a minimum of three pieces each but even then, never forget to bargain.
Information Technology
Nehru Place has the largest IT market in South East Asia for computer hardware, desktops, printers, printer cartridges, scanners, motherboards, hard disks, etc., and other peripheral devices. Anything related to IT difficult to find elsewhere, you can find it here. Branded stores and pavement sellers work side-by-side at this one of Delhi’s busiest business centres.
Fruits and vegetables
Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Market is where farmers arrive with their produce and commission agents auction the produce by calling out the price decided by the prospective buyers.
Before they hand over the produce to the highest bidder, the commission agent cross-checks the prices with the farmer. Over 3,660 wholesalers and commission agents daily ensure orderly marketing to safeguard the interest of consumers, and producers and sellers.
