Sowcarpet - The guide to what and where to buy

Do you love shopping, but bored of malls that burn a big hole in your pockets??? If you have answered yes to one of these questions, and you happen to be in Chennai, then head straight to Sowcarpet near Broadway. It is THE place to be if you don't mind walking in lanes with lots of people. You will feel excited to see such a wide range of goods for sale. The sight of colourful dresses, jewellery, accessories, gift articles, dried and candied fruits, every imaginable raw material for arts and crafts, hot jilebis and other chaat items makes me want to go there often. Even without shopping, you can simply roam around, take photos and watch people. Though, I have been there a few times before, I never bothered to go around and feel what it really is. But this weekend, I took the time to simply roam around. I assure you, it would take more than a few trips to fully know your way about. 

Some of you may already know that Sowcarpet is one-area stop for buying anything you could think of at wholesale price. Narrow roads and lanes that criss cross each other, with people carting goods around, countless pedestrians, numerous bikes, autos and even cars trying to commute in what could barely pass for a road. I am sure the roads wouldn't be more than 10-15 feet wide. They are also full of cycle rickshaws (yeah, they still exist and preferred mode of transport if you cannot walk) carrying passengers, goods etc... The entire place is full of life, drama unfolding at every corner. The whole place transports you back in time (if you remove the automobiles), where merchants sell their wares on the streets and people haggling.

Narrow Roads of Sowcarpet

In this post, I have tried to collate information about items sold in Sowcarpet and which street you can get them. I will constantly update this post, as new data comes along from my visits there! :) 

Sowcarpet is also home to many old buildings. This is a Jain Temple on Mint Street.

How to reach - 

By Bus - All buses going to Broadway/Parrys. It is just opposite to Broadway bus terminus. 

By Train - Take the local train going to Beach and alight at Chennai Fort stop. 

Better not to take your two wheelers or cars since there is hardly any place to park your vehicles safely.

When to go - 

Any time of the day. (Most of the shops are closed on Sundays) 

What and Where to Buy - 

Before I tell you about stuff you can get in Sowcarpet, please note that most of them are wholesale dealers and the quantities they sell will be bulk and it may not be profitable if you buy small quantities. I have attached a google map of Sowcarpet and labelled each street with numbers for easy identification. 

Lanes of Sowcarpet, Chennai 

# on map	Lane	What goods are sold?	Specific shops to look for
1	Umpherson Street	Yet to update
2	Stringer Street	Yet to update
3	Anderson Street	Plastic covers, birthday candles, decorative items, paper/plastic cups, paper/plastic plates, Packing materials
4	Malayaperumal Street	Yet to update
5	Badrian Street	Yet to update
6	Bunder Street	Yet to update
7	Godown Street	Sarees, Readmade chudithars, chudithar materials, blouse bits, curtain cloths, lining materials
8	Govindappan Naicker Street	Electrical goods, decorative lamps, switches
9	Kasichetty Street	Plastic wares and toys
10	Narayana Mudali Street	Plastic wares, decorative items, Keychains, plastic flowers, Beads, Laces, threads, bags, Quilling and painting and other craft materials	Rainbow enterprises, Sri Bohra Sales Corporation
11	Perumal Street	Imitation Jewellery, Beads, clips, accessories for women, handbags, gift articles
12	Mint Street	Jewellery, Eatables, platform shops selling bags near the Jain temple, plastic wares	Hot Jilebis and other chats at Kakada Ramprasad
13	JD Veerappan Street	Yet to update
14	General Muthaiah Street	Yet to update
15	Erulappan Street	Yet to update
16	Mangappan Street	Yet to update
17	Kandappa Street	Yet to update
18	Audiappa Naicker Street	Dry fruits, Pulses, chillies, spices, rice and other provisions. Plastic cups, plates.	Sha Ashok Kumar Dhanraj

Happy Shopping!! Please leave a comment if you know more about these streets and shopping in Sowcarpet area.