Stock Up On Blocks At Shri Roop Niketan, Paharganj

This is a store you need to remember if you love your DIY art and craft projects. Shri Roop Niketan is a wholesale supplier of wooden blocks, but anyone is welcome to stop by and pick out the choicest ones for themselves {we’re sure you’ll find plenty}.

Started in 2001, this is a tiny store chock-a-block with, well, blocks. All their blocks are sourced from Delhi workshops, and each of them is carved by hand {no two pieces of a design looked the same, we checked} and then dusted with titanium to make the pattern stand out. Plus, the owner is the nicest old man with a stellar knack for wielding a mehandi cone {we got beautiful henna designs done, and all on the house!}

You’ll have to sift through the scores of blocks on their shelves, but it can get quite interesting. There are conventional motifs like trees and birds, peculiar ones like pineapples and giraffes, and everything in between {we vote for the whimsical cat one with pointy ears}. Sizes also vary greatly, with the tiniest ones being less than an inch wide. The prices, however, depend not on size, but on the intricacy of the design. We suggest you collect a few on your next visit to Paharganj and keep them handy for quick greeting cards, or that plain white kurta you’ve been meaning to spruce up for so long.