Gadbadjhala! The peculiar name says it all. The name hints at the fact that all that glitters is not gold. The prices of the glittering jewelry on display at this particular shopping destination in the city will stump you. The small market in Aminabad is dedicated to imitation jewelry designs that will make you believe they are real gold pieces and women’s accessories that will give you a run for your money.
Shopping is said to elevate the spirits for almost all the women in the world and if you are talking of shopping at the Gadbadjhala market in Aminabad it can be said to be a sheer bliss for many a shopaholic.
Gadbadjhala is a shopping haven for women, where they can find countless options to choose from the wide range of jewelry, bags, cosmetics, and all the woman-only stuff that you can think of. Gadbadjhala is now not just a lane in the market selling products within a specified domain, it represents the real essence of Lucknow, the city of the flamboyant Nawabs.
GadbadJhala market is full of hustle-bustle and energy. This market is always bubbling with activity and the small shops—peculiar of the place—are all decorated with as many items on display as they probably have for sale!
Here’s why Gadbadjhala is such a preferred place with the Lakhnawi women for shopping.
GadbadJhala with no Gadbad
Gadbadjhala market is one of the oldest souks in the city that came into existence around 1922 in the Aminabad area of the city. It was initially a small market where only bangles were sold with the market being a little unorganized. The small market housed vendors selling items on the floor, especially on the bazaar days. The small market of yesteryears has evolved into a big souk with more than a hundred concrete shops now.
Today, the Gadbadjhala is a huge marketplace that sells not just bangles but varied items right from a hair pin to hair wigs. The shops are all decked up with bright lights to the extent that they even make the place a little hotter than outside.
A peculiar fact about one of the busiest lanes of Aminabad is that there are some fans put up in the main passage of the market for cooling, which gives little relief, considering the huge number of shoppers visiting the lane every day. For Lucknowites, festive shopping cannot be said to be complete without a visit to the Gadbadjhala for the latest trends in imitation and matching accessories to complete the special look for special occasions. Not to mention the endless bargaining that you can do with the shopkeepers to make the shopping light on the pockets as well!
All that glitters is not gold— Not when you are in Gadbadjhala at least!
Bangles are still the most sought after and widely sold product of Gadbadjhala. Imitation jewelry, however, has been added to the products available for shopping at the market. In fact, jewelry that matches the outfit now tops the shopping list of women. Gadbadjhala comes to the rescue of all such fashion-savvy women and has shops selling some of the most beautiful and exquisite imitation jewelry that you can get your hands on.
One can easily spot females carrying their dupattas or kurtis to get matching bangles and jewelry to complement their dresses and at affordable prices, albeit after a little haggling over the prices with the skilful shopkeepers. Besides glass bangles, bangles with stones, Jaipuri bangles, Firozabadi glass bangles, metal bangles, bangles with beads, the simple green kareli (green glass bangles worn especially during the rainy season to mark the arrival of “Saawan”) and the traditional Chuda, all are available in different sizes. As for jewelry, you can expect to get your hands on a wide range of exquisite and trendy artificial jewelry to complete your party look.
The glittering Gadbadjhala also has shops selling the gotas, sitaras, sequins and laces which are a hit with females especially during the wedding season. So, the market has everything on offer right from the glittering bindis to cosmetics, bangles, jewelry, laces, bags, sindoordaans, and the special collection of traditional cosmetics for brides known as “Suhagpuda”. Do not miss out on one of the most happening markets of Lucknow where you can get good products at affordable prices.
The city of Lucknow has some of the oldest souks that have now become a part of its identity and Gadbadjhala market is one such place, where the spirit of real Lucknow is largely visible. It has been and would continue to be a shopper’s delight!
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