What you see - Poshak Bazaar is located in the central shopping area of the famous sector 17/C of Chandigarh. Established by Tarachand Gulati almost 35 years ago, and now managed by his sons Jaideep Gulati and Navdeep Gulati, its full name is Gulati`s Poshak Bazaar. The décor is well lit and looks vibrant with colorful display of clothes.

What you get - Ever since its inception, Poshak Bazaar has been a symbol of status to shop at. It has become a brand name not just in Chandigarh but also in other parts of the country. A piece of its sophistication is visible as soon as you enter the showroom. The elegantly dressed mannequins will lead you to the basement. It showcases ready-made salwar/pajami-kameez and kurtis. The designs of each are available in both ethnic and contemporary styles. The collection is not extensive but definitely exquisite. Most of the salwaar/pajami-kameez in the trendy section have net sleeves and the fashionable Chinese collar; some embroidered, others not. If you are not able to find something of your size or style then you have the option of picking up unstitched material for salwaar/pajami and kameez, or kurti. Matching dupattas are available with both stitched as well as unstitched materials. The shop offers no accessories to match with the clothes. The grand display of the clothes leaves no room for anything else.

The basement area also offers Indian ethnic kids’ wear. On the upper floor you can find an extremely elaborative collection of fine bridal wear and sarees. Trial rooms can be used on either of the floors. They provide free alterations too.

Theme based exhibitions are held seasonally, one of the popular ones being the Pakistani traditional wear. Coming to the price tags, the price of unstitched material on an average is around Rs. 1,500 but it could be a little less depending on the stock available. A ready-made salwaar/pajami-kameez will cost anywhere between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 5,000 or even more. Needless to mention that Poshak Bazaar is not light on the pocket. Also, it is doubtful if the ready-made salwaaz/pajami-kameez collection can be worn everyday but then it also depends on the kind of social strata that one hails from.

They experience maximum rush between the months of September and March. Not sure if this is a good time for bargaining. They even have the facility of online shopping.

Parking is not a problem on weekdays. Open parking place for the entire shopping area of the sector is available. It provides paid parking for four wheelers and free parking for two wheelers.

Our verdict - Poshak Bazaar indeed is expensive but the quality is worth it. It is one of the best places in Chandigarh to find the typical traditional north Indian wear. Celebrities like Raveena Tandon and Zeenat Aman have visited the showroom in recent past, adding extra shimmer to the gaudy look of the shop. Poshak Bazaar is open on Sundays too.

Anytime between - 10 AM to 8 PM