It is all in the ambience. Stroll down Palace road, Gangaur Ghat and Lal Ghat, all in the centre of the old city, and the roads are lined with shops selling typical Rajasthani paraphernalia - colourful pajamas, psychedelic t-shirts, harem pants, mirrored bags, beads, silver jewellery, quaint leather satchels, skirts. If you want to do some serious handicraft shopping - puppets, tie and die fabric, silver jewellery - head towards Rajasthali, the government run handicraft emporium at the Chetak Circle and the shop at the City Palace for miniature paintings and enamel work. Jagdish Emporium on Palace Road has beautiful embroidered things.
For women looking for stylish indo-western clothes, all in beautiful shades of comfortable cotton, visit the Gangaur Boutique at Gangaur Ghat, run by Rakesh Yadav who also runs the Octopussy Boutique and Coquun, all three next to Edelweiss bakery and opposite The Tiger hotel. Rakesh studies the latest trends in Paris and London and designs the clothes accordingly. Expect to see kurtas, skirts, jackets and shirts, all fitted for you. You can even take your own design and Rakesh will have it made for you by his efficient tailors.
You might do a double take when, in the heart of the old city, you see boutiques with perfectly tailored Western jackets and tweed skirts. But do not be surprised. Since Udaipur is visited by so many foreign tourists, they take advantage of the cheap tailoring here, and the locals cash in. It's a mutually profitable venture, one that keeps both sides happy. Enter and you will find elegant shirts, skirts and overcoats. Everything is bespoke here; order and you will get the perfect fit.
