Purba Medinipur, West Bengal

Digha Seashell Jewellery & Shell Ornaments

Bracelets, pendants, earrings, hairpins and decorative ornaments made from seashells, snails and pearls gathered along Digha's shore, produced by the town's cottage craft industry. The small shops behind Digha's Old Beach sell a good range of these local handicrafts alongside hand-woven mats made of coastal weeds, at affordable prices. Because Digha is West Bengal's most popular seaside resort, drawing lakhs of visitors a year, shell jewellery is the standard beach souvenir of the trip. Each piece is a natural shell item that is light, colourful and inexpensive.

Typical price: ₹50-1500

Buying tip: Look for glossy, intact natural whorls on each shell and expect to negotiate a little in the beach-row shops; small pieces under 500 rupees make a practical, packable souvenir.