Police Bazar Shillong: Timings, What to Buy and Where to Eat in the City's Heart

If you spend an evening in Shillong, you will almost certainly spend it in Police Bazar. Locals call the area Khyndailad, and Police Bazar Shillong is where the city shops, eats, catches its taxis and meets friends. It isn't a single market but a busy commercial quarter of shops, malls, emporiums and restaurants, and it works best when you know what to buy, where to eat and when the shutters come down. To have your Shillong evenings planned around the rest of the trip, see our Meghalaya tour packages.

This guide covers exactly that. Timings and details were checked on 23 October 2026. Shillong's shops set their own hours, so treat them as a guide.

Khyndailad is usually translated as "the meeting of nine lanes", and that is the best way to picture it: a junction where several roads converge in the middle of the city. The British-era name comes from the police stations and the Superintendent of Police's office around it. The market grew after the Khasi Hills headquarters moved from Sohra to Shillong in 1864, when Bengali and Marwari traders set up shops that served the new administration. Later came Sindhi, Punjabi, Chinese and Tibetan businesses, and that mix still shows in the shop signs today.

Two recent changes matter for visitors. In July 2025 the state government relocated about 280 licensed street vendors from Khyndailad to a designated hawkers' zone at the MUDA parking complex, and declared the stretch from Khyndailad to Umsohsun a pedestrian zone, with vehicles barred from 7 am to 9 pm and all day on holidays. Enforcement has varied since and some hawkers still trade on the side lanes, so check the current arrangement locally. Police Bazar is the city's shopping hub; for the sights beyond it, see our guide to places to visit in Shillong.

The short answer: most shops open around 10 am and close by 7 to 8 pm, and many stay shut on Sundays. Government emporiums such as Purbashree typically keep 10 am to 7 pm and close on Sundays, and malls like Glory's Plaza run to about 7:30 pm; hours change, so confirm on the day. Restaurants run later, and a 2023 district order set 10 pm as the closing time for shops and restaurants across Shillong.

Shillong winds down early. The sun sets before 5 pm in winter, shutters come down from 7 pm, and by 8:30 pm the streets thin out. Shop in the late afternoon and keep the evening for dinner.

Sundays: Shillong is a largely Christian city, and Sunday is a church and family day. Expect many smaller shops and emporiums to be closed, with restaurants, some branded stores and malls open on reduced hours. If shopping is the point of your trip, avoid making Sunday your only Police Bazar day.

Police Bazar mixes genuine regional craft with the same imported clothes and gadgets you would find in any Indian city. Knowing which is which is the whole trick. If you are wondering what to buy in Shillong to take home, these are the three categories worth your bag space.

Shillong's cold winters keep a lot of woollen stock in town. Look for handwoven shawls and stoles from the Northeast, including eri silk (called ryndia in Khasi), which is warm, matte and softens with use. Government emporiums are the safest place for handloom:Purbashree Emporium on Jail Road, across from the MTC bus stand, stocks handloom shawls, sarees and stoles from across the region.

What to skip: cheap acrylic "Bhutanese" or "Tibetan" jackets and machine-made shawls sold as local craft. They are fine as winter wear, just not as souvenirs. For mainstream clothes, malls such as Glory's Plaza are convenient, but the stock is largely national brands.

Meghalaya's strongest craft tradition is cane and bamboo work: baskets, trays, mats, lampshades and small furniture. The emporiums also stock Larnai black pottery from the Jaintia Hills, which received a GI tag in 2024. Check the weave and joints, and buy smaller pieces if you are flying; larger items are bulky but some shops can advise on shipping.

The honest line: if a "local" handicraft is identical across ten shops and priced suspiciously low, it is probably mass-produced elsewhere. Emporium tags usually name the source state.

Lakadong turmeric: grown in the Jaintia Hills and GI-tagged in 2024, it is prized for its deep colour and high curcumin. Buy sealed packs with a clear origin label.

•Pickles and preserves: bamboo-shoot, king chilli and fruit pickles, plus jams and local honey.

•Tea and spices: Assam and regional teas, bay leaf and black pepper from the hills.

•Fruit wine:Meghalaya tourism permits licensed local fruit wines, including cherry and plum. Buy sealed bottles from licensed shops, and check the rules where you are going: several states, including Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland and Mizoram, restrict alcohol, and airlines limit what you can carry.

Prices in small shops are usually negotiable within reason; emporiums and malls are fixed-price. Carry cash, as some small vendors still prefer it.

Police Bazar Shillong food is mostly restaurant and café food now. Since the 2025 relocation, the pavement momo stalls that once lined Khyndailad have largely moved to the hawkers' zone at the MUDA complex, so that is where to look for cheap street snacks.

•Momos and Tibetan food: steamed pork, chicken and veg momos and thukpa are everywhere, in small restaurants and on side lanes.

•Khasi food: try jadoh (rice cooked with pork or chicken), dohneiiong (pork in black-sesame gravy) and tungrymbai (fermented soybean). Small Khasi eateries near the market and the jadoh counters at Iewduh are the most authentic options.

•Sit-down meals: City Hut Family Dhaba on Oakland Road serves North Indian, Chinese and Khasi dishes until about 9:30 pm, at roughly ₹400 to ₹800 for two on a budget.

•Tea counters: tea with a snack is the local evening break. If you are vegetarian, ask clearly, since pork is common in Khasi cooking.

A culture note on kwai: the red-stained pavements and small packets of betel nut, betel leaf and lime are kwai, a traditional sign of Khasi hospitality. It's fine to decline politely; it is a custom, not a snack recommendation.

Choose Police Bazar for convenience and an easy evening: walkable streets since pedestrianisation, fixed-price emporiums, malls, restaurants and the main taxi hubs, all in one place. It's the better pick for families, short stays and souvenir shopping.

Choose Iewduh for the real working market. One of the oldest and largest traditional markets in the Northeast, it dates back at least to the 1870s and now has thousands of stalls selling vegetables, meat and fish, spices, textiles, cane goods and jadoh. It is crowded, narrow and best by daylight on any day but Sunday. Watch your bag.

Getting here. Shillong Airport at Umroi is about 30 km away, and Guwahati, with the nearest major airport and railway station, is about 100 km away, a drive of about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Our guide on reaching Shillong from Delhi covers flights and trains.

Taxis. Police Bazar is the main hub for Shillong's local and shared taxis. Black-and-yellow taxis rarely use meters, so agree the fare before you get in; short city hops typically cost about ₹50 to ₹200. Shared Sumos to places likeSohra and Dawki leave from stands around Police Bazar and near Anjalee Cinema once they fill up. Shared services thin out after 8 pm, so arrange your ride back early. If the pedestrian zone is being enforced, expect to walk to its edge for pick-ups.

Parking. Parking in the core is scarce and the pedestrian stretch may be closed to cars during the day, so use designated lots or leave the car at your hotel.

Safety. Police Bazar is generally safe in the evening. The usual city precautions apply: keep phones and wallets close in crowds, use registered taxis at night, and don't leave your return trip until the streets empty.

Police Bazar fits naturally at the end of a day out. Spend the morning at the viewpoints, such as a Laitlum Canyon day trip or a drive to Sohra, return by 4 pm, shop until the shutters come down, and finish with dinner nearby. For a later night, our guide to nightlife in Shillong covers the bars and live-music cafés.