Anjuna is a Census, Town located in the north of Goa. It is famous for St. Michael’s Church, founded in 1595. Like all of Goa, Anjuna was long held by the Portuguese. In 1950, it had a population of 5,688. Anjuna is world famous for its trance parties which are held on the beach during the tourist season. By the late 60s, the hippies shifted from San Fransisco in London and gave way to a new generation who travelled to India. Many ended up on the beaches of Goa. One of the popular beaches which more number of hippies were found was Anjuna. When these hippies ran out of money they started to sell all their possessions, including their worn clothes, guitars, art, music, etc. From this began the most popular ‘flea’ market at Anjuna. It all started with an exchange of goods for money and now it is the most popular attraction in Goa. One can purchase many things from this flea market, like fruits, fashion jewelry, clothes, electronic devices, spices, tea, coffee, hand-made toys, souvenirs and much more. The flea market has peak season, i.e from October till April where a huge number of foreigners are seen shopping.
Fashion Jewelry
1Direction
The Anjuna Flea Market is a weekly market on Wednesday. It opens around 8 am and goes on till late in the night. It is situated 18 kms away from the capital town Panaji. Tourists can hire motor bikes to travel around. The cost to hire a bike is Rs. 400 per day. Taxi services are also available. Taxis cost about Rs 6 to Rs 11 per km. Dabolim Airport is the closest reach to Anjuna, which is 29 km away from Panaji. Karmali is the nearest railway station at a distance of 11 km away from Panaji.
2Must Visit Places
The flea market is famous for fashion jewelry from Tibetan stalls and Kashmiri, Rajasthani & Gujarati stalls. Western resident designers kiosks are also the most famous tourist attractions here. The flea market has a very lively atmosphere and one can enjoy throughout the day.
3Shopping
Shopping in Goa is all about flea markets, street shopping, etc. The Anjuna flea market has full of shops where you can get everything from local stuff to fashion jewellery and clothes. It is also a hub for junk jewellery, Tibetan neckpieces, silver and felt jewellery and much more. One can even buy statement pieces for a steal. You can also buy bracelets made of sea shells, earring, necklaces and rings. One can never find this kind of jewellery collection anywhere in the world. You can also buy funky T-shirts with some artwork designs, jackets, scarves, goggles and bags. One can spend hours in this market looking for the best options available.
4Tibetan Market
The most beautiful part of the Anjuna Flea Market is the Tibetan market. All the shops are on the floor with neatly decorated silverware, metal wares with red and blue ornaments and fashion jewelry of all kinds. If you plan to buy something you will surely get shocked by the prices quoted by the seller. This is a perfect place where you can learn bargaining skills. The exotic handcrafted pieces in the market are adorned with turquoise and coral stones. They are priced at Rs 200 onwards. Heavier jewellery like neckpieces can cost anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 2000, or more if it is made with silver and precious stones.
5Ethnic Touch
The flea market is also famous for gold jewellery. These jewellery are sold by Indians and it takes some practice to negotiate the reasonable price. One can also buy beautiful jewellery made of beads and stones. The market is more famous for handmade silver jewellery. These pieces are usually thick and shine with an ethnic touch. They can be added to your wardrobe for a fashionable, folk-art touch.
6Travel Tips
- Carry enough cash as cards are not accepted in the market.
- Go for shopping in the western section of the market where you will get unique stuff.
- Apart from jewellery, you can buy footwears, show piece, utensils made of bronze, silver, jholas (bags), crystal items, spices etc.
- Bargain as much as you can. The prices are very high in the market.
BY M. DIVYA SRI
