India GOMarkets and shopping in Chandigarh
Chandigarh shops in two styles. On the Sector 17 plaza and in the state's Phulkari emporium prices are fixed; Shastri Market across the road in Sector 22 and Sadar Bazaar in Sector 19 work like old bazaars, where the first price is an opening move. The things to take home are Punjabi: phulkari embroidery, juttis (flat leather slippers) and parandis, the tasselled cords braided into hair.
Sector 17 and Sector 22: fixed prices and bargaining
The Sector 17 plaza is the pedestrian centre of Le Corbusier's grid, with fountains, neon, shops and cafes. Near the fountain, Phulkari is the Punjab government's own craft shop, run by the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation so that artisans' work is sold directly: phulkari dupattas and suits, juttis, shawls, carpets, pottery and sheesham-wood furniture, all with price tags. Also on the plaza, 1469 Original, named after the year of Guru Nanak's birth, sells Punjabi slogan T-shirts, juttis and hand-embroidered phulkari bought straight from the women who stitch it. The plaza also has two veteran bookshops, The English Book Shop, open since 1952, and Capital Book Depot, with more than a hundred thousand titles.
Across the road, Shastri Market in Sector 22 is where the city itself shops: lanes of fabric by the metre, phulkari dupattas for less than at the emporium, juttis, bangles, tailors and racks of everyday clothes. Bargaining is expected: offer well below the first price and keep it friendly. Street stalls around the market (chole bhature, kulfi, fresh juice) are a cheap lunch option.
Bazaars where the city shops
Bazaars and markets beyond Sector 17.
Sadar Bazaar, Sector 19
The one market in the planned city that behaves like an old bazaar: family shops selling cloth by the metre, ready-made clothes, footwear, bags, stacks of bangles, phulkari dupattas, juttis and parandis. Prices are asked, not fixed, so answer well below the first quote.
Patel Market, Sector 15
A market that runs on student budgets, beside Panjab University: current-season clothes, shoes, handbags and stationery at prices that assume nobody has much. Easy to combine with Pierre Jeanneret's Gandhi Bhawan on the campus. More.
Krishna Market, Sector 41
A rehri market (rows of cart stalls) deep in the residential sectors: very cheap clothes and footwear, household goods and tailors who will take up a hem while you wait. Ten to twenty per cent off the asking price is normal. More.
Apni Mandi
'Our own market': rows of fruit and vegetable stalls go up on open ground in a different handful of sectors each day, and farmers from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana sell next to the regular vendors. Go in the late afternoon of the market's day; the Chandigarh edition of The Tribune prints each day's list of sectors, and the schedule is revised from time to time. Winter is the best season for vegetables.
Kalagram Crafts Village, Manimajra
A permanent crafts village on the Chandigarh–Panchkula road, built by the North Zone Cultural Centre, with a small museum of Punjabi and Himalayan folk objects. The main reason to go is the National Crafts Mela held each winter, when artisans come from across India. Check the events calendar before going.
Nexus Elante Mall
More than 300 stores, a large cinema and a food court in the Industrial Area: air conditioning in May and a dry roof in the monsoon. More.
What to buy in Chandigarh
Most of these are sold in several places; the emporium has fixed prices, the bazaars are cheaper with bargaining.
- Phulkari — Punjab's dense floral embroidery on dupattas and suits: fixed prices at the Phulkari emporium, cheaper with bargaining in Sectors 22 and 19.
- Juttis — Flat leather slippers, often embroidered: at the emporium, at 1469 Original and in the bazaars.
- Parandis — Tasselled cords braided into hair, sold in Sadar Bazaar.
- Fabric and tailoring — Cloth by the metre and tailors in Shastri Market and Sadar Bazaar.
- Punjabi slogan T-shirts — The signature of 1469 Original on the Sector 17 plaza.
- Books on India — Capital Book Depot and The English Book Shop in Sector 17, or The Browser on Madhya Marg; see bookstores.
How to bargain
Prices are fixed at the Phulkari emporium, in the Sector 17 showrooms and at Elante. In the bazaars the first quote is only an opening move: in Shastri Market offer well below the first price, in Krishna Market expect ten to twenty per cent off, and keep it friendly. Looking at the emporium's price tags first gives a sense of what a fair price is.
FAQ
Is there a market in Sector 17 of Chandigarh?
Yes. The Sector 17 plaza is a pedestrian square of shops and cafes, with the Phulkari state emporium, 1469 Original and two old bookshops, The English Book Shop and Capital Book Depot.
Why is Sector 17 famous?
It is the pedestrian heart of Le Corbusier's planned city: a plaza of fountains and shops that is a popular evening walk.
What are famous items to buy in Chandigarh?
Phulkari embroidery, juttis (flat leather slippers), parandis (tasselled hair cords), fabric by the metre and Punjabi slogan T-shirts.
Which is the best market in Chandigarh for clothes?
Shastri Market in Sector 22 and Sadar Bazaar in Sector 19 for fabric and Punjabi clothes, Patel Market in Sector 15 for cheap current fashion, and Krishna Market in Sector 41 for the lowest prices.
Where is Shastri Market in Chandigarh?
In Sector 22, right across the road from the Sector 17 plaza.
Do you have to bargain in Chandigarh markets?
In the bazaars, yes: offer well below the first price. At the Phulkari emporium, in the Sector 17 showrooms and in malls prices are fixed.
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
The full catalogue, hidden spots and districts on the map, plus “nearby” mode.
Open in India GO