Souvenirs to Buy at Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand houses some of the most beautiful markets that cater to a pleasant shopping experience. The state is brimmed with so many tourist destinations - Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Auli, Valley of Flowers, Nainital, Jim Corbett, Char Dham and many more, along with offbeat destinations. The local markets of these places are treasured with the certain specialities of these places and can be bought and carried back home as souvenirs. The popular shopping destinations of Uttarakhand are Mall Road in Nainital, Moti Bazaar and Kankhal Market in Haridwar, Tibetan Market in Dehradun, local markets near Badrinath Temple, Sisters Bazaar in Mussoorie, Johri Bazaar in Almora and many more.
Here is the list of items to buy as souvenirs of Uttarakhand.
1. Ringaal Handicraft
The handicrafts are named so, because they are made by the Ringaal people of Kumaoni district, and is one of ancient art of Uttarakhand. The handicrafts are made of bamboo, a type of perennial grass, abundantly available in the state. Baskets made of bamboos are the most popular items and are widely used in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions. Other than baskets, the Ringaal handicraft items also include furniture, mats, hats, kitchen items, etc. The colour of the products are in shades of green, that of the bamboo. Therefore, they are decorated by further coating them with various colours and the inner areas are blackened with the use of fire.
2. Ramban Handicrafts
Another tradition art form, Ramban Handicrafts is crafted with hem and jute. Ramban is kind of sisal plant, commonly found in the lower hills of Uttarakhand. The use of the fibres are implemented in making items like wall hangings, home decorative, purses, bags, tablemats, ropes, toys, etc. The Ramban craft making is widely practiced in Dehradun district.
3. Wax Craft
The candles of Uttarakhand have attracted worldwide recognition and remains on the topmost list of buying souvenirs. Nainital, one of the popular tourist destinations of Uttarakhand is also a leading place in housing wax crafted products, mostly candles of various aromas, and also shapes of fruits, animals, figurines and so on. The wax crafts are a leading source of decor items.
4. Copper Ware
In the earlier days copper was mined majorly in Garhwal and Kumaon regions. Presently, even after the discontinuation of mining, the coppersmith communities have continued to craft copperwares for various uses. The copper craft form was made by coppersmiths known as Tamta. Copper items are considered beneficial for health and hence various kitchen utensils are made out of copper. Other than that, musical instruments, masks and decorative items are also made of copper.
5. Aipan
It is a traditional art form f Kumaon customs. The geometric designs are associated to various gods and goddesses. To enhance the significance of Aipan, the designs are now drawn on various items like dupatta, stoles, t-shirts, mango-wooded chowkies, cushion covers, table mats, clay items, wooden boxes, etc with poster colours or oil colours.
6. Wooden Crafts
Woodwork is quite popular in Uttarakhand. The Gunjyal village is a major source of wooden crafts in the state. Popular handicrafts made of wood include toys, decors, sticks, figurines, masks, and a few more.
7. Angora and Pashmina
Being a state of comparatively low temperature, warm clothes are common to find in Uttarakhand, especially those of pashmina and angora. Almora is one of the chief sources o these souvenirs. Common items like stoles, shawls, socks, caps, woollen mufflers and gloves are produced by various women-oriented small scale businesses.
8. Juices and Jams
A wide array of fruits is grown on the land of Uttarakhand. Therefore, fruit juices and jams of various flavours are easily available here, without any adulteration.
9. Pickles and Spices
Spices and Pickles are yet another item that can be carried back to home and savoured to refresh the memories of Uttarakhand tour.
10. Honey
There are several bee keeping farms in Uttarakhand. Consequently, the state records a significant amount of honey production. One can easily get of organic honey of various brands, which are imperishable for years. The sweetness and freshness of the natural honey, without and preservatives or other additives, makes it one of the favourite souvenirs of Uttarakhand.
