The southern Indian town of Hyderabad is famous for many things, and one of them is bangles.
Now how perfect can that be as a Must Do Shopping assignment?
So, without any more ado, off we headed to Lad Bazar, a fabulously busy market literally at the foot of Charminar.
And there you have bangle heaven.
Little shops galore, all selling bangles of every colour.
There is an informal market, right at the base of Charminar :
And then there are handcarts being wheeled up and down the crowded streets, piled high with round plastic boxes of bangles, all the same, all fixed price, so you choose what you want – several thin ones or one big fat one in any colour you wish – and at Rs 150 a box, what could be easier?
Having shopped up a storm from this handcart, we were (theoretically) leaving when I spotted these beauties in a shop window…
14 bangles per set…too fabulously gorgeous and sparkly and matching…and so we went into this shop where the owner could not have been nicer and more polite and charming. Slightly dazzled by my (oh so imperfect) Hindi, he gave me what he assured me was a very decent unhaggley price, and I walked out with 2 gorgeous sets, each one costing Rs 750.
Super bargain.
I ask you – who could resist?