Law Garden: The Handicraft Hub of Ahmedabad

Travellers always have this fascination of  taking back a memorabilia from the city they are visiting as a glorious testimony of the journey to an unknown land. While each city has its array of emporiums and curio shops addressing this very need of travellers, it is another matter and an adventure in itself to skew through the unfamiliar surroundings, bargain with the locals and finally take home a souvenir that has somehow more value attached to it because of the preceding hunt.

In Ahmedabad, the vibrant city of Gujarat, India, this discovery may happen in a street market at Law Garden. While pockets become lighter and bags in the hands grow heavier, the eyes continue to be dazzled by the great traditional shopping fiesta offered from one corner of this busy street to the other.

Law garden is called so because of the Law College in the vicinity and it is indeed a peaceful garden in the heart of the city with plenty of play area, lush green lawns, and shaded green avenues for families to spend some relaxing moments all around. But what many come here for is not the peace and tranquillity offered inside the garden gates but the hullabaloo of activities present around it.

The entire boundary wall of the garden has been utilised by enterprising gujaratis to open up their tea stalls, snack shacks, gaming shops, children rides, soda shops and to the uttermost delight of many traditional apparel hunters, hundreds of shop selling authentic Gujarati costumes and jewellery.  

It seems it is festival time 365 days a year on this side of the garden that plays host to these shops. The shimmering dresses and the glittering jewellery displayed temptingly all across the street coax every passerby to give a second glance and even stop for some impulse buy.

What you can find here

  Those who have visited the states of Gujarat or Rajasthan in India may have been greeted quite often with the sight of local women wearing a voluminous long skirt called the ghagra or the lehenga with a matching top and an unstitched cloth called odni or duppatta covering their head. It is the traditional wear of this part of India made hugely popular by bollywood movies and the great Indian weddings. What you can find in the law garden street shops is exactly the same apparels and ornaments coming straight from the creators of these items. Choices are plenty and before you splurge on the first design that you find, it is wise to traverse the length of the road and shortlist the best of the best.

Here is a list of the things you can get here,

Chaniya choli or ghagra choli – The Indian version of the skirt and top these are the most common of the items in display at every shop and interestingly with the most varied designs. Owing to the creative abilities of the creator each pair of ghagra and choli is a customised work of art. Although certain design elements prevail like the use of flower motifs, mirror work, stars and colored glasses, the ultimate costume is unique in its own respect and it is hard to find two pairs the exact replica of each other. If one notices there are regional difference too in the design patterns. While the more intricate thread work is visible in the Kutchi patterns, the other gujarati designs are adorned more with mirror and glass work. But regardless of their birth place, all are hand stitched and exquisite.

Kurta Tops – Ahmedabad is known to be a very fashion conscious city and there are many who have blended western influences with ethnic Indian wear giving rise to a new breed of garments called the kurta tops that can be worn with an Indian salwar or the ubiquitous blue jeans. The amazing design choices for this particular kind of tops is endless in the law garden shops and with the price range, any sane shopper may wish to take everything home!

Angarakha/Kurta Dhoti – Men may not feel left out after all, because there are plenty of shops selling traditional Gujarati wear for men too. The typical angarakha a frock style loose kurta for men is hugely popular garment choice during the festival season from September to November when the entire country celebrates Navaratri and Diwali. It is especially worn by men performing garba dance. There are special vivid colored, small sized costumes for kids too that can make your little boy the centre of attention of any party.

Silver Jewellery – As you keep buying your dresses it is easy to accessorize them then and there with some shops selling exclusively easy- to- wear silver jewellery. Most of course are not made of the precious metal and thus priced exceedingly low. From small studs, to drop earrings to complete set of a neck piece, matching earrings and bangles you can find almost any design complimenting your buy. The best part is, the shop owners are the creators themselves and if you ask for it, you can get a particular design of your choice with matching coloured stones, made to order in minutes!

Bed sheets/Cushion & Bolster covers – There is no easier way to make India come alive in your home than with these amazingly beautiful hand stitched bed sheets and bed covers. The colours are as dynamic as the country itself and patterns showcase the traditional Indian love for elements of nature and wildlife. There are again plenty of designs, shapes and sizes to choose from. For those who want a special something to adorn there walls there are also many wall hangings that you can get here. Peacocks, lotuses, creepers and the lovable Indian God Ganesha, the artisans have much in store for the connoisseurs of wall art. 

Stationary – Folders, visiting card holders and pen stands get a visibly new meaning around these street shops. The designs are simple and more essentially hundred percent eco-friendly made of cloth and hardboard. They not only make good souvenirs to gift friends back home, but also can be great to portray your love for the eco-friendly goods the chic way.

Hand bags – Cloth hand bags never cease to go out of fashion and that is why here too you can see unlimited shapes and sizes of bags that can be used anywhere, from carrying college notebooks to loose change or to just ethnically accessorise a party dress.

Handy tips

• Bargain, bargain and bargain. The rule of thumb at these street shops is to give less than half of what is asked for. Do stick to your price once you have quoted it and you would surely reap the rewards of buying much more than you expected at the same price.
• Take a local with you. It is best to have a local as an aid if you are here for the first time as the shop owners are quick to recognise an outsiders especially if you come from another country. Apart from the ease in conversation, the local friend may also save you from the job of bargaining.
• When buying any apparel, whether a chaniya choli or a top, make sure that the shop owner unpacks and shows the complete set to you. There are sometimes stitching errors that go unnoticed if you do not check before you buy.
• Always dryclean the first wash as the colors run and may spoil the entire dress if not washed carefully.

To know more about Ahmedabad, visit Gujarat Tourism

 

 

 

 

Tagged as: Ahmedabad, india, Law Garden, Shopping for Handicrafts