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Mumbai Markets
These days, Mumbai is known more for its designer shops and malls than its markets. However, if you"re after a bargain or some interesting souvenirs to take back home, you won"t be disappointed. There"s great shopping to found at these Mumbai markets.

1. Colaba Causeway

The everyday carnival that is the Colaba Causeway market is a shopping experience like no other in Mumbai. Geared especially towards tourists, that infamous Indian saying of "sab kuch milega" (you"ll get everything) certainly applies at this market. Dodge persistent balloon and map sellers, as you meander along the sidewalk and peruse the stalls. Want your name written on a grain of rice? That"s possible too. If you need a break from shopping, pop into Leopold"s Cafe or Cafe Mondegar, two well known Mumbai hangouts.

* Location: Colaba Causeway, Colaba, south Mumbai.
* Opening Hours: Daily from morning until night.
* What to Buy: Handicrafts, books, jewelry, crystals, brass items, incense, clothes.

2. Chor Bazaar
""Patricia Lette
Navigate your way through crowded streets and crumbling buildings, and you"ll find Chor Bazaar, nestled in the heart of Muslim Mumbai. This fascinating market has a history spanning more than 150 years. Its name means "thieves market", but this was derived from the British mispronunciation of the its original name of Shor Bazaar, "noisy market". Eventually stolen goods started finding their way into the market, resulting in it living up to its new name!

* Location: Mutton Street, between S V Patel and Moulana Shaukat Ali Roads, near Mohammad Ali Road in south Mumbai.
* Opening Hours: Daily 11 a.m. until 7.30 p.m., except Friday. The Juma Market is held there on Fridays.
* What to Buy: Antiques, bronze items, vintage items, trash & treasure.

3. Linking Road
""Sharell Cook
A fusion of modern and traditional, and East meets West, in one of Mumbia"s hippest suburbs. Here streets stalls contrast with brand name shops, and you"ll find an Indian roadside food vendor on one side of the road and a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet on the other. The street stalls tend to be grouped together according to the type of goods they sell. If you visit this market on a Sunday, be prepared for the crowds!

* Location: Linking Road, Bandra (starts from Waterfield Road intersection).
* Opening Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.
* What to Buy: Indian traditional clothes, children"s clothes, shoes, bags, belts.

4. Crawford Market
""www.flickr.com user Carol Mitchell
If you want to see how the locals shop, head to Crawford Market. This old-style market, housed in an historic colonial building, specializes in wholesale fruit and vegetables. It"s also got an entire section devoted to pets of all shapes, sizes, and breeds.

* Location: Lokmanya Tilak Marg, Fort area, south Mumbai. (Opposite Mumbai Police headquarters and north of Victoria Terminus railway station).
* Opening Hours: Daily from morning until night, except Sunday. Open morning only on Sundays.
* What to Buy: Fruit, vegetables, food, flowers, birds, fish, and other pets.

5. Fashion Street

Fashion Street is literally just that -- a street lined with fashion! There are around 150 stalls there. The market attracts hoards of teenagers and college students, who come to grab the latest western clothes and fake brand names at cheap prices.

* Location: MG Road, south Mumbai. Near Metro Cinema and Victoria Terminus railway station (opposite Azad Maidan).
* Opening Hours: Daily from morning until night.
* What to Buy: Clothes, shoes, belts.