Gopal Mashala Store

The smell of spices is the first thing you notice when you walk toward Gopal Mashala Store in Nagla Padi. We are located right in the middle of Main Bazar where it always stays busy with people walking by. There are big sacks of chilies and turmeric sitting on the floor and the dust from the spices sometimes makes everyone sneeze. We spend the morning weighing out small packets of cumin and coriander for the ladies who come to cook lunch. It’s a narrow shop so we have to stack the jars high up on the wooden racks. Some of the jars are glass and some are plastic. The counter is worn down from years of sliding bags across it. We don't have fancy lights or anything like that, just a couple of tube lights that flicker sometimes. Outside, the cows walk past and the bikes honk their way through the narrow lane. Being in Agra means it gets very dusty, so we are always wiping the jars down with a yellow cloth. It’s hard work and the air is heavy with the scent of cloves and cardamom. We keep track of everything in a thick notebook with a red cover. Most days are long and we eat our lunch sitting right there behind the counter. It is just a simple place for people to get their spices for dinner and we have been doing this for a long time now.