Laad Bazaar

Laad Bazaar runs about a kilometre west from the Charminar toward Golconda, and the name comes from lac, the resin used to make the bangles the street is given over to: shop after shop of them, in lac set with coloured stones, glass, metal and pearl, sold in stacked sets and made in workshops behind the fronts. It has traded here since the Qutb Shahi period and is where Hyderabadi brides traditionally buy their wedding bangles. Around the bangle shops run pearls, for which the city has been a market for centuries, along with attar perfumes, semi-precious stones, wedding goods and antiques of variable authenticity.

History

The bazaar's name comes from laad, the lacquer used to set artificial stones into bangles, and most of the shops along its kilometre still sell bangles, saris and wedding goods. It has been trading since the time of the Qutb Shahis, before the rule of the Nizams, close to the Charminar and the Makkah Masjid (Wikipedia, Laad Bazaar).

The main sights

• The bangle shops - lac, glass and stone bangles in stacked sets.
• The lac workshops - bangles made and set behind the shopfronts.
• The pearl trade - Hyderabad's long-standing pearl market alongside.
• The attar shops - traditional perfumes sold by the drop.

When to go

October to March; the bazaar is busiest before weddings and around festivals, particularly Ramadan and Diwali. Evenings are liveliest. Hyderabad summers are severe.

Things to know

Crowds are dense and pickpocketing is common. Pearl and gemstone quality varies enormously and misrepresentation is widespread. Bargaining is expected and starting prices for visitors are high.

Nearby

The Charminar stands at the eastern end; Mecca Masjid is nearby.

Key facts