The people of Goa are very good at making showpieces out of natural stuff like coconut husk or palm leaves. Goan workers are also an expert at wooden articles which are lacquered in festive colours like red, green, yellow and white by master craftsmen from Cuncunolim, South Goa. These colourful items are called chitaris.
Creativity is also showcased in Goan brassware, though a lot of brass items are even imported. Skilled brass workers at Corlim, Mapusa, specialize in the exquisite candelabra-like brass oil lamps called samai. These range from the foot-high, four-branched avatar to many-branched items. Brass lamp-trees and storks are in fact a connoisseur's delight. Similarly, silversmiths and goldsmiths of Goa are known the world over for their craftsmanship, nurtured through the centuries.
If a tourist wishes to shop for exclusive Goan crafts, then the Government of Goa Emporia may meet his demand and needs. Apart from this, a tourist in Goa can find a plethora of items made in Goa under the aegis of the Goa Rural Handicrafts and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation. The items made by these crafts men in Goa are made available at the Handicrafts Emporium in Panjim, tourist hotels, and other souvenir hubs.
Other places where you can shop are the Gulf Supermarket at Panaji; Handicrafts & Silk Emporium, Maganlal Changi at Panaji. For crochet and embroidered items, there is the Institute of Nossa Senhora de Piedade, at Panaji. Apart from this, other shopping spots in Goa are Magsons Supercentre at Miramar; Treasure trove at Panaji; Velho & Filhos Shopping Centre at Panaji; Hotel Silver Sands at Colva Beach.
Handicrafts in Goa