Gifts For People Obsessed With India

Ganesh statues are excellent gift ideas for India-lovers worldwide. The elephant-headed god is worshiped for good luck and success, and often adorns spaces in Indian homes and offices. Featuring intricate handwork on solid metal brass, this Ganesh figure is perfect as a gift or stocking stuffer. Find it for Rs 2,000.

You can’t go wrong with gifting tea to anyone, let alone someone passionate about India! Goodwyn Tea, based in Assam, focuses on ensuring the sustainability of their 9,000-acre estate and 6,000 tea-makers, while bringing authentic teas to customers. Order delicious, customized gift tea boxes from Rs. 500 and upwards – you are sure to find something special.

Handmade from wood and with a brass inlay, this incense holder should be perfect for your incense sticks, in India known as agarbatti. Find them for just $5 online.

A pair of traditional jhumka earrings is guaranteed to bring a smile to your friend’s face. Get these handcrafted jhumkas adorned with beads from Fabindia for just Rs. 490.

There’s no Indian cooking without spices, and a box of fresh and fine handpicked Indian spices is a gift you will certainly be appreciated for. For Rs. 380, it’s guaranteed to spice up any kitchen!

Written by Madhur Jaffrey, one of the most prominent contemporary authorities on Indian cooking, Vegetarian India ($30.81) is one of the most accessible books written on the topic. Featuring easy-to-prepare recipes from across India, this book is going to delight your friends who love Indian cuisine. If they so happen to be meat-lovers, you can opt for Curry Easy by Jaffrey instead!

Thanks to India’s rich and ancient tradition of handicraft, you can never run out of gift ideas. From carpets to cushion covers and tapestries, there is a wide range of fabric items you can choose from. This colorful wall hanging for $21.99 is testament to the outstanding workmanship of the Kutchi people from the state of Gujarat.

A mithai, or sweets box, is a great gift for friends, family and colleagues, regardless of how well-versed they may be in India cuisine. This Haldiram box features a collection of popular sweets made from 100% vegetarian ingredients. Find it for Rs. 727 online.

Gift your cinephile friends a Blu-ray copy of the legendary Bollywood classic Mughal-E-Azam. Released in 1960, this epic historical drama follows the love affair between Mughal prince Salim and Anarkali, a courtroom dancer. The black-and-white film was digitally colored and re-released in 2004, becoming the first Hindi film to have been subjected to the process. Get it for Rs. 700.

The oldest form of garment still in existence, the 5,000-year old saree is India’s favorite attire. With a selection of beautiful designs and fabrics, this silk maroon designer Banarasi saree, priced at Rs. 1,049, is the perfect gift for that special someone in your life.

Help a friend detox and glow with this cleansing and correcting set of three Ayurvedic face care products. With 100% natural ingredients and following centuries-old recipes and traditions of Ayurveda, this gift box is so tempting that you may want to order one for yourself as well. Find it for Rs. 1,370.

With a foreword by Khushwant Singh, one of contemporary India’s most important writers, this striking coffee table book by Rakhshanda Jalil looks at the many historic ruins that have become part of Delhi’s landscape. With beautiful pictures and amusing facts, the book explores the rich cultural past of India like few other coffee table books have done. Find it for Rs. 621.

This beautiful handcrafted yoga tote bag is vibrantly adorned with Indian colors and designs, and is the perfect gift for the fitness enthusiast in your life. Pair it with a brand new yoga mat to truly make their day! Find it for Rs. 545.

Anyone enthusiastic about Indian art will appreciate a Tanjore-style painting. With rich and vivid colors – and often depicting spiritual characters or scenes from mythology – these paintings can dramatically lighten up any space. This work of art, with a thick teak frame, would be a great gift and costs Rs. 4,400.

One of the most comprehensive, well-researched and popular books written about modern India, this 960-page book is the perfect gift for anyone curious about Indian politics and history. Easy to find and read, India After Gandhi is written by Ramachandra Guha, one of the country’s finest contemporary historians. Find it for Rs. 384 online.

India After Gandhi By Ramachandra Guha | Picador

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