Hyderabad is brimming with markets that are filled with delights for shoppers. The famed Laad Bazaar, near the Charminar, is a very old market that is most famous for its glittering and colourful lacquered bangle shops. Its narrow lanes house cubbyhole stores offering sarees, wedding paraphernalia, Kalamkari paintings, semi-precious stone jewellery, silver ware, Bidriware, brocade fabrics and lots more. One can also shop for pearl ornaments, which are a speciality of the Pearl city, as Hyderabad is popularly called. It is said that the Nizams were fond of imported pearls and that's why the trading began here and has continued till date. Today, the city is dotted with pearl shops. Visitors can also head to Char Kaman, near Charminar, which is another area for pearl shopping. 
A vibrant shopping centre, Shilparamam, an arts and crafts hub that is set up like a traditional village, is a must-visit. It is a great place to buy traditional crafts, textiles, carpets and toys. Jubilee and Banjara Hills are areas that are filled with glitzy malls and high-end boutiques. 

Malkha is a handwoven cotton fabric, which is coloured with natural dyes. It is used to make sarees, tablecloths, dupattas and bedspreads and can be bought at local handicraft stores across the city.The story of the evolution of Malkha is an inspiring one. Before the Industrial Revolution, the cotton industry was one of the major threads in the fabric of Indian society. It was booming and had been flourishing since millennia. However, after the revolution, the focus shifted to making as much cotton as possible and as cheaply as could be. Thus, big and looming machines took over artisans who drew their livelihood from this craft. Moreover, making cotton this way also polluted the earth, sky and water.Thus, Malkha came as a restoration of the earlier handloom. It combines natural dyes with the thousand-year-old cotton-making skill of Indians with innovative engineering.During the manufacturing process of Malkha, bigger units are replaced by smaller units i.e. local skill and raw materials are used and spinning is made a viable occupation, sidelining the machines. Thus, farmers, weavers and spinners all benefit from this industry.

Bidriware is the pride of Bidar, near Hyderabad, and is an indigenous handicraft tradition that garners a lot of admiration and appreciation. Practised on zinc and copper, and inlaid with pure silver or thin sheets, it is a delicate art and remarkably intricate. Bidri items can be found in most arts and crafts shops of Hyderabad and regular tours are organised by local heritage tour companies to Bidar, where visitors can watch the artisans at work. 
The origin of this art form is believed to have been during the reign of the Bahmani sultans, who ruled Bidar in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is said to be an amalgamation of Persian, Arabic and Turkish designs. Though there are no historical records to prove it, many believe that it was brought to India by the followers of Khwaja Muinuddin Chisty, a preacher, in the 12th century.The process of making these beautiful articles is a complicated one and the elementary material used in an alloy of zinc and copper in the ratio 16:1. Then, artistic patterns are etched on this alloy. The process involves eight stages. First, moulding is done, which is followed by smoothing with a file. Chiselling and engraving are done thereafter. The most amazing step is the inlaying of silver, which is followed by smoothing, buffing and then oxidising the product by ammonium chloride and soil. The chemicals in this soil are believed to give a lustrous black colour to the products. The main articles that you can buy here include vases, goblets, candle holders, jewellery boxes, wine decanters and hookahs.