Agra Popular Handicrafts

We are located right by the Western Gate of the Taj Mahal. Being so close to such a big landmark means it’s always busy around Agra Popular Handicrafts. There are tourists, guides, and monkeys everywhere outside, but inside our shop, we just focus on the handicrafts. We’ve been at this spot for years, and we’ve seen the gate open and close more times than we can count. Our work involves a lot of patience. Making these items takes time, and you can’t really hurry the process if you want them to look right. The shop isn't a museum; it’s a place where we work and sell. There are bits of stone and tools lying around in the back. Sometimes the dust gets everywhere, but that's just part of being a stone worker. We aren't a big corporation with branches everywhere. We’re just here at the Western Gate. We talk to people from all over the world who stop in after seeing the Taj. Some buy things, some just want to know how the inlay work is done. We explain it as best as we can, even if our English isn't perfect. It’s a simple life, centered around this one small shop and the traditions we’ve been following since we were younger. We just keep doing what we know how to do, day after day, keeping the workshop going and making sure the floors are swept before we head home for the night.