Uttar Pradesh is a land of beautiful contrasts...where delicate chikankari work on soft pastel fabrics weave a magic as potent as the heavy gold and silver work of the Benarasi saris...where intricate marble inlay work on hard marble is accomplished as easily as beautiful carvings on wooden furniture.
Having spent a large part of my formative years in Lucknow, I've developed a lot of admiration and fondness for the handicrafts of UP. And if you are planning for a tour of this beautiful state, here are the best handicraft markets that you should definitely try out:
1. Varanasi(Benaras)
Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world. It is the ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus. But it is equally famous for its rich, hand woven Banarasi saris with opulent zardosi work in gold and silver.
Famous Handicraft: Benarasi silk sarees
Where to find: Chowk & Vishwanath Gali, Godowlia Market, Lahurabir, Thatheri Bazar
Other places to visit: Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Ghats of Varanasi, Sarnath
Nearest Airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, Varanasi
2. Agra
Taj Mahal in Agra, is arguably the most famous monument in India. And what makes it a poetry carved in stone is its intricate marble inlay work. The artisans of Agra have kept this tradition alive and the marble handicrafts and designs you get here are incomparable to anything else. You can also shop for leather goods here.
Famous Handicraft: Marble inlay work on tabletops, decorative pieces, and replicas of the Taj Mahal.
Where to Find: Sadar Bazaar, Taj Ganj Area, Kinari Bazaar, Shilpgram Crafts Village, Subhash Emporium
Other places to visit: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri
Nearest Airport: Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Airport, Agra
3. Moradabad
Moradabad is nicknamed Peetal Nagri(Brass City) and is famous for its brass handicrafts like vases, bowls, statues and decorative items.
Famous Handicraft: Brass decorative items
Where to find: Peetal Nagri, Bartan Bazaar, Station Road, Mansarovar Colony,
Other places to visit: Raza Library(Rampur-50km), Ramnagar(Corbett National Park-90km)
Nearest Airport: Pantnagar(86km)
4. Firozabad
This city is synonymous with glassware, especially bangles and other decorative items.
Famous Handicraft: Glass bangles, glass decorative items
Where to find: Suhag Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Dholpura
Other places to visit: Kotla fort, Lord Bahubali temple, Agra(50km)
Nearest Airport: Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Airport, Agra (60km)
5. Kannauj
Uttar Pradesh often stirs up the vision of delicate fumes of ittar(traditional perfume) wafting through the air. Well, this ittar or attar industry is primarily centred in Kannauj.
Famous Handicraft: Traditional Perfume( ittar)
Where to find: Local ittar shops and old markets stock them. You can even buy it online as the industry is seeing a resurgence
Other places to visit: Lakh Bahosi Sanctuary, Jaichandra Fort
Nearest Airport: Kanpur(82 km)
6. Mirzapur
If you are a fan of Hindi OTT dramas, then you must've heard about the series Mirzapur, and its main character 'Kaleen Bhaiyya'. The series refers to a real place 'Mirzapur' in UP, which is famous for its hand-knotted carpets and rugs.
Famous Handicraft: Carpets and Rugs
Where to find: It is a small place and all main market areas sell the specialty carpets. You can also visit a factory to see carpet weaving.
Other places to visit: Lakhaniya Dari waterfall, Sita Kund, Chunar Fort, Ashtabhuja Devi Temple, Vindhyavasini temple, Wyndham Falls, Tanda Falls
Nearest Airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, Varanasi(72km)
7. Lucknow
Lucknow is famous for its Tehzeeb, its chats, its kebabs, and it's beautiful monuments. But it is equally famous for its Chikankari, an intricate style of hand embroidery, and Zardozi, a type of heavy and elaborate metal embroidery.
Famous Handicraft: Chikankari and Zardosi work fabrics
Where to find: Hazratganj, Aminabad, Chowk. Nakkhaas market is famous for zardozi.
Other places to visit: Bara Imambara, Chota Imambaram, Rumi Darwaza, Residency, Ambedkar Park, Ram Manohar Lohia Park
Nearest Airport: Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow
8. Saharanpur
It is a small city famous for wood carving and furniture making. The furniture is embellished with intricate designs and inlay work.
Famous Handicraft: Wooden carving and furniture
Where to find: Anandpuri and Lakdi Fazalpur Areas, Behat Road, Ambala Road, Factory outlets and local shops.
Other places to visit: Shakumbhari Devi Temple, Bala Sundari Temple of Deoband, Naugaja Peer
Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun(90km)
Have you visited any of these markets and bought these unique handicrafts? Have you toured Uttar Pradesh extensively and have your own stories to share? Inspire others to travel by sharing your travel stories on Tripoto. You can also earn credits and travel for free!
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