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 Pakistan
is a wonderland for
shoppers. You may
find exotic
memorabilias and all
sorts of household
and luxurious items
at reasonably low
prices.
Karachi is indeed a
shopping heaven.
Sadder is the
central shopping
area in Karachi, it
is spread around and
between the two main
streets. Abdullah
Haroon road and
Zaib-un-Nisa Street,
and is about 1 km
from south to north.
It is fun to spend a
few hours wandering
through alleyways,
where Victorian
brick archietecture
rub shoulders with
modern concrete.. it
is all very lively
and noisy with a
great variety of
shops in a
succession of
different bazaar's
each specializing in
its own commodity.
Going north upto
Abdullah Haroon
road, you first come
to Zainab Market on
the right. Inside we
find dozen's of
shop's, selling new
copper's, Brass
onyx, inlaid
woodwork, lacquer
work, hand block
printed cloth's and
applique bedspreads.
Some shops sell
excellent old
emroided Sindhi
cloth. Traditional
wedding dresses with
mirror embroidery
work, leather
garments and old
tribal silver
jewelry, Zainab
market also sells
very good, extremely
cheap cotton shirts,
and ready made
shalwar kameez. A
little further up
Abdullah Haroon Road
are the carpets
shops. They sell
both, new Pakistani
rugs and old tribal
rugs, from
Balochistan
Afghanistan and
Iran. Bhori bazaar
is down the side
lanes to the north
of the carpet shops.
It is the world with
in itself. You walk
down the narrow
alleys ducking the
cloth and clothing
strung across for
display. It is very
photogenic. North
again is the empress
market, opened in
1889. This is the
vast Victorian
structure in Moghul
Gothic style, with a
clock tower, 50
meters high,
 housing
hundred of shops and
stalls. With in and
around it are the
meat and fish
markets, fruit, and
vegetable stalls.
Section's of
different Bazaar's
specializing in
different
handicraft's and
good's.
While in Lahore the
Anarkali Bazaar is
the most
fascinating. The
alleys and lanes of
this bazaar are full
of exciting wares,
especially
traditional crafts
like leatherwear,
embroided garments,
glass bangles,
beaten gold and
silver jewelry,
creation in silk-
anything that you
wish to bargain. It
is named after the
Akbar's Courtesan
called Anarkali,
Who, according to
legend was put to
death by Emperor
Akbar for having a
love affair with
prince Salim, Later
known as Jehangir.
Old brass and copper
are another good buy
from the shops
around the Charing
Cross. Some good
buys can be found in
the brass bazaar in
the old city but it
is difficult to find
and is usually
unpolished or still
coated in tin. Brass
is poisonous and
cannot be used for
food until tinned.
Other Shopping areas
in Lahore may
include the Sarafa
Bazaar, Copper and
Brass Bazaar,
Kashmiri Bazaar,
Liberty Market etc.
While in the city
Multan, the Mangoes
of Shujabad district
are the best in the
world. Apart from
this, Multani khussa
(shoes); embroidered
clothes for ladies;
embroidered cholas
for men; earthenware
pottery, painted
potter, camel skin
ware (e.g. lamps);
carpets wooden
products, especial
lacquered wood are
all best buys for
tourists. |
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