With hustlers and rickshaw drivers keen to drag tourists into shops offering commission, shopping in Varanasi can be a nightmare - but it's worth seeking out the city's rich silk-weaving and brasswork. The best areas to browse are the Thatheri Bazaar (for brass), or Jnana Vapi and the Vishwanatha Gali with its Temple Bazaar (for silk brocade and jewellery). State-run emporia in Godaulia, Lahurabir and the Chowk - the three UP Handlooms outlets at Lahurabir, Nadesar and Neechi Bag, and Mahatex in Godaulia - offer fixed prices and assured quality. Housed in a former palace opposite the Taj Hotel in the Cantonment, the CIE has a large and impressive selection but, despite its official-sounding name, is an outrageously expensive Kashmiri-run chain aimed exclusively at the five-star market.

 

Sales pitches tend to become most aggressive when it comes to silk , and you need to be wary of the hard sell. Qazi Sadullahpura, near the Chhavi Mahal Cinema , lies at the heart of a fascinating Muslim neighbourhood devoted to the production of silk. Upica, the government-run emporium, has the advantage of fixed prices, with outlets at Godaulia and opposite the Taj Hotel , Cantonment. Handloom House, D64/132K Sigra, another government-sponsored chain, is one of the best and safest places to buy silk and the Mehrotra silk factory (tel 0542/345289) near the railway station is also recommended. Ask at the station tourist office for precise directions. For tailoring, try Paraslakshmi Exports, 71 Chandrika Colony, Sigra (tel 0542/221496), a silk business providing a good and prompt service; they'll deliver to your hotel, and also offer ready-made waistcoats and boxer shorts.