India GOWhat to buy in Bangalore
Bangalore's best souvenirs come from Karnataka's own crafts: Mysore silk, sandalwood and rosewood, lacquered Channapatna toys. The city adds two things of its own, second-hand bookshops that go back to 1945 and one day a year when original art sells on the pavement for a few hundred rupees. The rule of thumb is simple: buy anything that must be genuine at a fixed-price shop, and bargain for everything else in the old markets.
What to buy and where
Mysore silk sarees
Pure-zari Mysore silk is the classic Karnataka buy. Mysore Saree Udyog, near Commercial Street, has three storeys of it alongside Kanchipuram, Banarasi, Pochampalli and Odisha weaves, most carrying Silk Mark certification (the official label for pure silk). Cloth is unfolded for as long as it takes. Cheaper everyday silks and wedding saris fill the lanes of Chickpet.
Sandalwood, rosewood inlay, bronzes
Buy these at the Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium, the flagship of the Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation at 45 MG Road. Prices are fixed and higher than the stalls outside, but they carry a government guarantee, which matters most with sandalwood. Mysore-style painting is sold here too.
Channapatna toys
Turned from aale mara (ivory wood) and coloured with vegetable dyes and lac rather than paint, which is why they are safe for small children. The craft is GI-protected (a geographical indication, like Champagne). Cauvery stocks them; at Channapatna itself, on the Mysuru road, you can watch them made and paint one, see workshops.
Spices, incense, jewellery
Chickpet's small shops sell turmeric, coriander, black pepper, natural incense and oils; the Balepet lanes next door are lined with gold, silver and traditional jewellery. Commercial Street, with roughly 2,000 shops, covers gold and silver, fabric by the metre and home decor, with footwear on Gollar Lane.
Original art
On the first Sunday of January (a week later when that Sunday is New Year's Day), Chitra Santhe turns a kilometre of Kumara Krupa Road into an open-air gallery of around 1,500 artists, and an original can leave with you for a few hundred rupees. Come in the morning. The rest of the year, craft fairs turn up in the courtyard of the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath.
Books
Church Street is the book street. The Bookworm keeps rare and out-of-print titles beside new ones and gives 50% store credit on anything brought back; Blossom Book House is three storeys of new and used books. Off Brigade Road, the antiquarian Select Book Shop (founded 1945) holds more than 9,000 rare volumes. Champaca in Vasanth Nagar is the place for Indian independent publishers, translations and children's books. See all bookstores.
✅ Bargaining and timing
- Fixed price where it counts — For sandalwood, silk and anything sold as genuine, a fixed-price, certified shop is worth the premium.
- Start at half — At Commercial Street stalls, starting near half the asking price is the local convention; the showrooms next door do not bargain.
- Go in the morning — Weekday mornings on Commercial Street and early hours in Chickpet mean fewer crowds and a better choice; weekends are a crush.
- Carry cash — Cash and comfortable shoes for Chickpet; its wholesale lanes are busiest in the morning.
If you prefer a mall
For brands and air conditioning: UB City for luxury boutiques, Phoenix Marketcity on Whitefield Road in Mahadevapura and Mall of Asia for size, Orion Mall for a mix of local and international labels. The full list is on markets and shopping.
❓ FAQ
What is Bangalore famous for to buy?
Mysore silk sarees, sandalwood and rosewood crafts, Channapatna toys and second-hand books on Church Street, plus cheap original art at Chitra Santhe each January.
Which market is the cheapest in Bangalore?
Chickpet, where wholesale lanes sell textiles, home decor and accessories at very low prices; come in the morning with cash. For books, the Book Fair sells second-hand titles for approximately ₹100–150 each (India GO listing, 2026).
Where can I buy genuine sandalwood in Bangalore?
At the Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium on MG Road, the state handicrafts corporation's showroom: fixed prices with a government guarantee.
Where should I buy a Mysore silk saree in Bangalore?
Mysore Saree Udyog near Commercial Street, where most silks carry Silk Mark certification; Chickpet for cheaper everyday silk.
Do I have to bargain in Bangalore?
In the street stalls, yes: start near half the asking price. Showrooms and government emporiums have fixed prices.
Are Channapatna toys safe for babies?
They are coloured with vegetable dyes and lac rather than paint, which is why they are considered safe for small children to chew.
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