Shillong Shopping – Shops, Stores, Best Buys & Inside Tips

Shillong Shopping

Planning a shopping excursion in Shillong? Not so fast! Before you head out into the bustling streets, here are the shops, stores, best buys and inside tips you won’t want to miss on a Shillong shopping trip.

Top Market

Travelers who have been to Shillong to enjoy the shopping, rave about the Lewduh or “Bara Bazaar” big market: While the alleys are narrow, dirty, full of water seepage and downright messy, if you have the courage to get past these hindrances than the experience of shopping in one of the largest, oldest, and most traditional markets in the entire North-East is thrilling, to say the least. The fact that almost all the shops are managed by women makes it an even more exotic outing.

Here at Lewduh you’ll find the produce is refreshingly organic, fresh, and a treat to the eyes. The vegetables are a riot of colors and bursting with good health; the fish section spoils you for choice; the meat and chicken areas are equally inviting. And the best part are the prices – they are almost half that of tony Laitumkhrah (Iew Shyllong) or upscale Laban or even Polo Market. Lewduh gives you more bang for your buck. The reason is this market is meant for common folk as the name itself signifies, ‘duh’ in Khasi meaning ‘common people’ or ‘ordinary people’ and ‘iew’ is ‘market’.

Besides food items, you will find goldsmith shops and hardware outlets. Kitchen appliances are also available in a wide variety. If you feel like a quick haircut or even a shave, a line of barber shops beckon you. Need a quick stitching done? Tailoring shops are only a turn away. Almost anything and everything is available here, including first-hand garments sold at second-hand rates.

Best Buys & Inside Tips

The market place in Tura has one of Sillong’s other treasures: cashews! Cashew nuts are grown in the hot plain belt of Meghalaya in the Phulbari area of West Garo Hills district adjoining Assam. Three main varieties of cashew nuts are available in the market. These come in plastic packets of half kg. each.

Inside Tip for Cashew Purchases: The variety of cashews is adjudged according to a code which the buyers may not be aware of. These codes are as follows: Best quality (Code=6 J) @ Rs. 440/- per kg. Medium quality (Code=4 J) @ Rs. 420/- per kg. Low quality (Code=1 JJ) @ Rs. 360/- per kg. Knowing the codes and prices will help you walk away with exactly what you were expecting.

Editor’s note: The information on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about Shillong Shopping – Shops, Stores, Best Buys & Inside Tips.