Craftshop Of The World

The Indian craftsman has been perfecting his art handed down in the family, from father to son-for hundreds of generations. The result is a culmination of the best in modern aesthetics and ancient art-a legacy that even the Indians cannot ignore.

First look to your wardrobe. Do you want yards of silk for a dress or a shirt? Then look to Jammu & Kashmir, to Benaras or to the South. Or pick up a handful of crisp cottons in any of the bazaars all over India. For the best finds, look to the state emporia in all major cities.

Buy ready-mades at only a fraction of their cost in European and Western countries. Get a little something for your home in brass, bronze, ivory, marble or wood. From statues and busts to table - lamps and shelves to table-tops and frames. Ivory is carved in delicate filigree, marble is inlaid with precious, colored stones, wood embedded with brass, bronze polished and shaped into Shivas, Buddhas and Saraswatis. From Moradabad comes a great culture of colored enamel work in brass setting.

Go a step further. Pick up a rare and exclusive collection of precious stones and jewellery. if you've seen the Kundan work of Rajasthan, or the fashionably shaped silver from Orissa, you may not go back empty handed. And remember, the world's purest diamonds were once mined at Golconda and nearby Hyderabad is a thriving industry for pearls.

Come and see our very wide range of carpets and rugs. India has the world's largest carpet industry and the result is a colorful collage of paisleys, Persian motifs and fire breathing dragons. Tapestry comes in an equally wide range and Indian fabrics in natural fibre are one of a kind.

Every woman secretly harbors the desire to own a sari. Come and pick one from an unmatchable range of silks, brocades, chiffons and chignons. Patterned in wild dreams, touched with a dash of silver and gold threads, splashed with tie-and-dye designs.

There is a bargain waiting in the Indian market. Don't forget, India is the last resort for bargain hunters and adventurers.