The Extreme Devotion of Shopping in Chickpet might sound vaguely sacrilegious, after all one cannot worship both God and Money. But God and Shopping? It’s almost like a camino – Chickpet feels like stepping into another world. Don’t think of it as a typical shopping trip—it’s a full-blown pilgrimage. With narrow alleys bursting with glowing fabrics, sparkling jewellery, and delicious street food, the devotion here is palpable. In Chickpet, shopping is a ritual, a test of endurance, a journey that rewards the brave and the dedicated with treasures at prices you won’t find anywhere else. Getting to Avenue Road from anywhere else in Bangalore can be a test of patience, and prayer – that no one knocks you down, that that autorickshaw hurtling directly at you will deflect at the very last minute, that you won’t trip over a broken flagstone on the carefully paved, and dug up footpath.

Just as quickly as the path is repaired, along comes another reason to dig it up – that’s almost a religious truth on Bangalore’s roads. but finally we arrive and step out into the mayhem – to find that it’s not so bad. The crowds are polite, there is little jostling, the footpath has vanished into the realms of fantasy, but everyone from cars, to rickshaws, to cattle is happy to share the road with you.

Your Fellow Pilgrims

Think of the masses as your fellow pilgrims not hyper-focussed shoppers! On Avenue road be prepared for anything: Devotees come in all shapes and sizes. There’s the traditional brigade of “aunties”, wrapped in rich Kanjeevaram sarees, haggling with a fervor that rivals any prayer chant, a ritual they’ve mastered over decades. I stop and watch amazed, and tuck the information away for when I return – that Rs 1000 saree just changed hands for Rs 450. Then there’s the younger crowd—girls in tight jeans and crop tops, drawn to Chickpet’s charm like moths to a flame, somehow managing to look cool and collected as they elbow their way through the throng.

A policeman in his signature cowboy hat ( yes the Bangalore police are deadly fashionistas in their John Wayne Hats) idly flicks through his phone, and stops to help us with directions – up the alley, and off to the righta.

But Chickpet isn’t just a market; it’s a lively intersection of the sacred and the secular. As you weave through stalls crammed with sarees and trinkets, you might find yourself suddenly standing in front of an ancient temple or shrine. Each is a place of calm amidst the commercial chaos, where garlands of marigolds hang like blessings, and the smell of incense mingles with the aroma of freshly fried samosas. Take a moment to notice the hidden people that make Chickpet come alive. Oh the stories they could tell!

There’s the older woman by a food stall, peeling onions by the hundred, her bangles clinking gently as her gnarled hands work as she watches the world rush by. On the temple tiny threshold, a young girl threads jasmine blossoms into garlands, her fingers moving deftly, her expression alert as she creates a fragrant magic in the midst of chaos. She watches the passing crowds keenly – is she waiting for her secret boyfriend to appear and say a casual hello as he saunters by?

Something about Rice

At one end of Chickpet, you’ll stumble upon Rice Memorial Chapel, an unassuming church behind a low wall with a red crucifix glowing on the wall, and an amazing history. And just a few steps further, you’ll find Jumma Masjid, its elegant minarets standing tall, calling the faithful amidst the din of bargaining voices and honking auto-rickshaws. It’s moments like these—finding places of worship amid worldly commerce—that remind you Chickpet is more than just a market. It’s a place where spirituality and commerce mingle, each weaving into the fabric of the other. Its a small reflection of the true India.

Rev. Benjamin Holt Rice (1814–1887) was a British missionary who made significant contributions to education in Bangalore, India. He is recognized for his efforts in translating the Bible into Kannada and for establishing the first Kannada-speaking church in Bangalore. That’s the one we stumbled upon in the heart of Chickpet. 

Rev. Rice was instrumental in translating the Bible into Kannada, making the scriptures accessible to the local population. He authored books in Kannada on subjects such as arithmetic, geography, and history, aiming to enhance the educational resources available to Kannada-speaking citizens.

There be Angels

Amid all this, hidden figures complete the picture of Chickpet’s devotion. The weary man with a basket sits patiently on a low wall, waiting for someone to hire him as a coolie. His face is lined with worry, his hands calloused from years of carrying others’ burdens. He watches the world with a resigned patience, waiting for that one person who will hire him at the end of the day.

The peanut seller shouts out her cry of ‘Kadlaikai‘ in a chant that draws me to her – I buy a measure of hot roasted peanuts. These are safer though less delicious than the cut raw mangos sprinkled with chilli powder. We’re lost in alley deep in the market, but a kind vendor directs his flunkey to guide us back – yes, there are angels unaware here too,

Autorickshaw Mayhem

Of course, no journey to Chickpet is complete without encountering the swarm of autorickshaws. This place must be their hatching grounds. It’s one of the few places in Bangalore where you’ll find an auto whether you want one or not. They jostle for position, their drivers watching hawk-like for the slightest signal from a would-be passenger. An auto in Chickpet isn’t just a mode of transport—it’s an escape route, a savior when you’ve finally had your fill of the crowds and your bags are too heavy to carry another step.

But for now, they pour into the road from a side street like a yellow tide of squawking ravens, calling out to you to either step out of the way, or hire them.

Pilgrimage

So if you ever find yourself gritting your teeth at the thought of the mandatory visit to Chickpet, relax and  commit to random wandering through Chickpet, let go of your shopping list anxiety and embrace the journey. Look beyond the crowds and the chaos to the people, the shrines, the devotion woven into every corner. You might come looking for bargains, but you’ll leave with a memory of something far richer. Here, in the heart of Bangalore, shopping isn’t just shopping—it’s a sacred experience.

So you ask, what did we buy? Yes, we did shop – its is extreme shopping after all. We ordered a houseful of curtains and drapes, all custom made. That was the purpose of the expedition – then we bought saree petticoats, material for blouses, salwar suits, and yes, hot fresh roasted to munch on the way home.