Varanasi is famous above all for its silk -- every Indian bride wants a Benarasi silk sari in her trousseau, and around 3,000 kilograms (6,614 lb.) of silk are consumed by the weaving units daily. Wander through the Old City, or ask at your hotel or the tourist office for recommended wholesalers. Silk Ways (tel. 0542/221-0791), near Chhave Mahal Cinema, has the most gossamer-like scarves, among other things. Or head for one of these two recommended sari shops in Chowk: Narayan Das Jagdish Das (tel. 0542/240-0561 or -0593) or Ushnak Mal Mool Chand (tel. 0542/227-6253).
For an excellent selection of Indian fiction and books on philosophy and religion, not to mention good CDs, visit Kashi Annapurna Book House (B1/185B, Main Assi Ghat; tel. 0542/231-5992), a small enterprise near Ganges View Guesthouse.
