Pearl and Bangle Shopping in Hyderabad

Be it a trip for business or pleasure, few places offer you more sights, sounds, history and activities than Hyderabad. Here’s a quick list of what you simply can’t miss.

Bangles and trinkets
It would be a crime not to visit Chudi Bazaar (the bangle market), right next to the famous Charminar. It offers a mind-boggling variety of bangles in every conceivable colour and material — glass, plastic, lacquer, gold, pearls and silver. A pair of glass bangles cost as little as Rs 10, while lacquer ones could cost about Rs 120. Do not leave without some Karachi mehendi or henna (Rs 5 per cone). Bangles look far more beautiful on hennaed hands.

Shopping tips
Check out a shop called ‘Fine Bangles’ for lacquer and heavily decorated bangles, and ‘Meena Bangles’ for glass ones. The lane is dotted with shops on both sides, open from 11 am to 11.30 pm. Remember to bargain hard.

Pearl shopping
No trip to Hyderabad can be complete without purchasing some fine pearl jewellery. Each shop has its specialities and it’s better to check out several before making up your mind. For black and purple pearl earrings with zircon and platinum finish (priced between Rs 180 and Rs 250), visit a shop called ‘Princess Pearls’.

Pearl junk jewellery costs between Rs 100 and Rs 200 at ‘Sri Jagadamba Pearls’, while pearl bangles cost around Rs 400. ‘Krishna Pearls’ is another place near Charminar known for genuine pearls. It has branches at most five-star hotels in the city.

Addresses
Princess Pearls: Shop No 5-4-666/1
Peshwari Plaza, South Abids
Near Hotel Saptagiri, Hyderabad.

Motilal Jewellers and Pearls: Opposite Madina building
Pathergatti, Hyderabad.

Sri Jagadamba Pearls: 2-4-26, MG Road
Opposite Mahatma Gandhi statue,
Secunderabad-3

A Travel Series for Rediff.com, 22nd August, 2006.