SHIMLA
Wooden-toy and handicraft market just below The Ridge. Prices are inflated for tourists — bargain hard, or buy at Himachal Emporium on Mall Road instead for fixed, fair pricing.
Lakkar Bazaar (literally 'Wood Market') developed during the British colonial period when Shimla's status as summer capital created strong demand among officers and tourists for hand-carved souvenirs. Its woodworking tradition was established largely by Sikh carpenter families who migrated from Hoshiarpur and settled here over a century ago, working primarily in local deodar and walnut wood. The market has continuously supplied carved walking sticks, toys, and furniture using techniques passed down through generations of these artisan families.
