Shopping in Karnataka

Exquisite handicrafts, shimmering silks, Mysore paintings, Gokak toys, sandalwood sculptures, rosewood carvings and a wide array of small gifts like pens, letter openers, metal lamps, wood carvings and inlay work are all there to take a heavy toll on your pocket, once you are in Karnataka. With a rich cultural heritage, the devoted artisans of Karnataka are adamant on keeping their art alive in the form of beautiful and useful products.

Shimmering silks are woven in rich colors by the skilled weavers of Bangalore and Mysore. Produced in a multitude of varieties, silk sarees of Karnataka, interwoven with delicate gold threads are renowned world over for their style and elegance. Tourists can take home these sarees that have become an integral part of the Kannada culture and tradition.

Home to sandalwood trees for years now, Karnataka offers a rare assortment of sandalwood products in diverse designs. Home beads, pendants, carved tables, screens, mythological figures, a host of stationery items, dinner gongs, boxes, caskets, trays, decorative panels with intricate scenes carved on them and even tiny bookmarks are crafted from scented wood by the Gudigar of Shimoga and Mysore. Affluent tourists can carry inlaid furniture and sandalwood carvings along.

One can even buy rosewood carvings from Mysore which is a rare ancient craft of the city. This will give rich expression to your doors and ceilings resembling temples and monuments at Mysore.

Pen holders, betel leaf cases, letter openers, bowls, plates, bangles embellished with floral patterns and finely crafted hookahs having the Bidriware work can be bought to be presented as small tokens of love to friends and family. To add more, you can also buy replicas of vegetables, fruits, images of deities, cradles, toys, masks and palanquins from Gokak in Belgaum.

If you are in the Northern part of the state, you can shop endlessely for Guledgudda handlooms, handwoven Ilkal sarees, clay toys and Lambani jewellery.

If you are a true art lover, the traditional paintings of Mysore with their lustrous gold leaves and vegetable dye colors can be a potential option.