Karnataka’s traditional markets are a fascinating melee of sweets, spices, fresh produce, coffee and handicrafts. Besides these, you’ll find beautiful silks and sarees and a fascinating array of fragrant oils and natural perfumes. The sights, sounds and smells of a typical Karnataka bazaar can be an experience for the senses.

One of the first things visitors buy at a Karnataka market is coffee. The vast selection of fresh beans available entice coffee lovers to carry home freshly-ground varieties, especially in places like Coorg, where you can also pick up spices and vanilla sticks from the Madikeri Bazaar. Mysore silk is especially valued for its fall, its soft texture and elegant lustre and a visit to Mysore’s Government Silk Factory for silk sarees will be worth your while. The Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium is a one-stop destination for handicrafts. Sandalwood sculptures, stone and wood carvings, metal lamps and inlay work are abundant and local jewellery made out of coconuts, shells and beads makes a charming gift. Dating from Tipu Sultan’s reign, the lively Devaraja Market has local traders selling traditional articles such as flower garlands, incense sticks, spices and conical piles of kumkum, all of which make for some great photo-ops.