Travel Tips and Info

The information from this section is excerpted from the guide books, "India"  and
and Braja Mandala / A Practical Guide by John Howley. 

Getting to Vrindavana     Getting Around Vrindavana     Valuables and Security
Money Matters     Weather     Shopping     Water     Doctors
Cultural and Social Behavior     Temple Etiquette     Begging     Monkeys

Shopping

To shop properly in India you have to give yourself at least 50% more time than in the West, so you can bargain properly. The longer a merchant spends with you, the more likely you are to work the price down. A merchant does not like to totally waste his time, he wants to make the sale. So even if you are in a hurry, you should still act like you have all the time in the world.

You can and should bargain when on the street. Never accept the first price given. Many times it can be four to five times the normal price. Many times it is a matter of pride to bargain for a lower price. Government emporiums, expensive shops, and department stores often have fixed prices and you cannot bargain. When there is a fixed price, many times you can get a price discount if you purchase more than one item.

Shopping in Vrindavana:   The important judgement on which merchant to purchase from is good communications and consistent good quality. This means getting what you asked for without wasting time. Getting a money back guarantee, in case there is a defect in any of the products is important. A good merchant will do this, as they will not want to ruin their reputation. These are a list of merchants recommended in Vrindavana:

Ganga Prasada, end of Loi Bazaar. Cloth merchant.

Rasbihari Lal & Sons, across from Ganga Prasad. Devotional items, pictures and books.

Dinesh, Loi Bazaar. Cloth merchant.

Mahesh, Loi Bazaar. Cloth merchant.

Khadi Bhavan, at the beginning of Loi Bazaar. Government cloth merchant.

Rajendra Tulasiwala, Loi Bazaar. Bead shop.

Radheyshyam Puja Bhandar, Loi Bazaar across from tulasi bead shop. Brass puja items.

Heera Jewelers, beginning of Loi Bazaar. Silver, etc.

Gopaldas Emporium and Shriji Jewelers, both on the left side of the road as you go from Loi Bazaar to Banke Bihari. Silver, etc.

Six Fingers Narayana, go right at the intersection at the end of Loi Bazaar. Tailor

Matang Perfumers, across from ISKCON Temple. Incense and oils

Shishu Kumar Agarwal, next to Ganga Prasad. Trunks and shipping.

Rambabu Bartan Bhandar, at the beginning of Loi Bazaar. Stainless steel cups, plates, etc.

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