Shopping in Chennai

Splurge in Chennai

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is a city that rests comfortably on its 2000 year old history.  Residents take great pride in their culture, and this is evident in the array of traditional handicrafts, textiles, and artwork that greet medical tourism shoppers and vacationers.  The emergence of five star malls hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for decades-old emporia and showrooms that boast of legions of faithful clients.  

Chennai’s most coveted goodies include the beautiful Tanjore paintings carved out of thin sheets of gold, majestic stone carvings from Mamallapuram, magnificent jewelry from Kumbakonam, Pattamara mats and handicrafts from Triunellveli, and brass and ivory wares.  In fact, if you’ve included Chennai in the latter part of your itinerary, it might be best to hold off on most of your art and antique shopping till you land in the city.  And then there are the exquisite and world-famous Kanchipuram silks.  The bejeweled tones and the richness of the fabric ensure that these hand woven silks remain forever popular about medical tourists and locals alike.  Set aside time to explore, bargain (a must), shop, or simply soak in the ambience of the bazaars.   

Chennai Shopping Districts

Anna Salai, Chennai’s main thoroughfare, is where most of the shopping action is.  Here, government-sponsored handicraft and handloom fabric stores exist cheek by jowl with swanky malls that house all the trendiest designer labels and brands.  You’ll find large stores that display authentic crafts and handloom textiles sourced from all over the state.  Egmore Street, with its myriad street stalls, is where to head for bargain hunting.  Pavement shops bursting with terracotta wares swarm with medical tourism vacationers who flock here for ceramics at bargain prices.  You’ll also find cane and bamboo products here at prices that are significantly lower than the market rate.   

The bustling market of T. Nagar is lined with Ranganatha Street, Pondy Bazaar, and Pongal Park where traditional crafts, silks, and jewelry are on offer.  George Town, the area around colonial George Fort is now a wholesale market where each street is designated for just one type of merchandise.  For instance, Anderson Street sells only paper and paper products, Devraj Mudali Street is renowned for cosmetics, and Elephant Gate Street houses only handloom and textile shops.  On Kodambakkam High Road is South India’s first fair price shop that stocks handicrafts, textiles, and paper-machie products at reasonable prices.  Make time to visit Khader Nawaz Khan Road for inexpensive ceramics, organic foodstuffs, and a varied range of handmade products from the Auroville Community.