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About Sharjah: Shoppers’ paradise

No single place in Sharjah is as popular as the Central Souk or Souq al Markazi. Glittering gold and diamonds in exquisite designs, hand-made carpets in silk and wool, silverware, souvenirs and ready-to-wear dresses lure tourists like no other place in the emirate.

Guided by the desire of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to recognise traditional aesthetics, the Blue Souq, as it is also known, has special Arabic Islamic design works laid out in blue hues. It is also known as the Gold Souk because of the innumerable gold outlets.

Built in 1978, this popular 80,000sqm sprawling market has the most extraordinary collection of handicrafts. More than 600 shops dot either side of the spacious corridors spread over two floors. Traditional gift items and hand-made goods and antiques are often displayed along these corridors tempting the shopper.

While one section of the souq features antiques, carpets, gifts and electronics, the other section connected by foot bridges, features jewellery made of gold and precious stones.

Hand-made pure Iranian silk carpets commanding a price as high as Dh10,000 to Dh20,000 are hot favourites. “Americans, Germans and Australians top the list of foreign buyers of these carpets, especially the four by six feet variety,” says Mamunur Rashid, 25, a salesman of a carpet shop. “Russians, Japanesse and Indians follow suit, and most of them live in the UAE.”

According to Rashid, carpet buyers are seasonal, and mostly come during the winter season.

Traditional local antiques and novelties inlaid with copper, silver and gold are big crowd pullers. Mahesh G Bhagnari and wife, Resham, who have been running souvenir and novelty shops in the Blue Souq for the past seven years, says that Russians, Thais, Chinese and Hong Kong nationals are fond of gold-plated souvenir items such as animals figures, mouse pads, coasters, key chains, magnets and décor plates. “We do good business,” Mahesh says. “Fast moving items include gold-plated Swarovski crystal products, which Russians normally buy. Chinese tourists prefer the replica of Burj Khalifa with light.”

Shop owners in the souq see an increase of over 200 visitors on weekends, majority of whom are attracted to the jewellery.

Sarbjie with her children Simren, 14; Pavan, 12; and Dylan, 4 were on the look-out for jewellery pieces to take back to London for relatives and friends. While Simren wanted a diamond-studded gold ring, Pavan was on the look-out for gold earrings.

According to Indian accountant Kamlash Chudasna, Russians and Afghanistanis top gold jewellery buyers. “They prefer to buy 22-karat gold from either Singapore, Italy or Turkey. The most expensive pieces of jewellery are the most exquisitely designed ones from Turkey.” Whatever is the choice of the shoppers and foreign tourists, the Blue Souk continues to be a favourite destination. — lily@khaleejtimes.com