[category]
[title]
If Delhi has a thousand street markets, Sarojini is one of them. If Delhi has one street market, it’s Sarojini. If Delhi has 0 street markets, Sarojini has left this world, and what a sad world it would be. The rise (and rise) of affordable street shopping has seen many a decade of bloody competition, but the open-air lanes of Sarojini Nagar still, even on quieter days, see thousands of customers pass through. Some stalls here date back to the 80s, others are newer, but they all source their goods from export surplus – castoffs from big chains that have tiny, undetectable flaws, designer knockoffs, and, interestingly, lots of stuff that doesn’t look like it came from any brand in particular (summer dresses, especially, are what Sarojini does best). Shops change their wares every week or so – the entire market is a revolving door of trends, and each hawker knows them better than you. Some shops only sell nightclothes, while others might do tops and skirts. Others will do Indian wear, and some specialise in jeans.
When to visit Sarojini Nagar market
The market’s best braved in good weather, with sturdy walking shoes, a bottle of water, a tote bag for whatever you buy, and tons of good-natured patience. It’s a miracle how low you can get the price to go if you know how to grease the wheel just right – five items for the price of a single latte, sometimes, if you’re lucky.
Things to keep in mind when visiting Sarojini Nagar market
Patience isn’t a prerequisite reserved exclusively for haggling, though – you’ll need it to sift through piles and piles of colourful clothes to find something of good quality and design. Some shoppers are more intuitively skilled than others – friends have spent hours trawling the market only to come away empty-handed, yet I’ve zapped in and out with stuff that’s hung around my wardrobe for years. After all, there’s a reason rapper Badshah sings in his song Saturday Saturday: 'Sarojini ke kapde pehen ke jaati madam disco (she only goes to the club kitted out in clothes from Sarojini'.
Mornings are typically quieter than afternoons and evenings. Sundays get the biggest crowd, and Mondays are shut.
How to get to Sarojini Nagar Market
Visiting this market can get a bit hectic when using personal transport – because of traffic, as well as difficulty finding parking space. Your best bet's taking the metro – Sarojini Nagar Metro Station on the Pink Line.
Time Out tip: Even though Mondays are officially closed, there’s a weekly stock clearance held at the market, with prices per item starting as low as ₹30.