R. K. Lace Works

R. K. Lace Works is tucked away in Shop No. 13 of Vinodbhai Nagardas Chawl. It is right opposite Rami Ni Chawl on Rakhial Road. This isn't a place for fancy offices or big signs. It is a working-class area where people get their hands dirty. Our shop is small and the ceiling isn't very high, so it can feel a bit tight when there are three or four of us inside. We have various machines for the lace work and they make a steady humming sound all day. It is the kind of sound you stop noticing after a while. The road outside is always dusty because of the trucks, so we have to wipe down the counters every single morning. We don't have a lot of walk-in customers; mostly it is people we have known for years who need specific work done. We handle the orders as they come in. Sometimes we stay late when a big job needs finishing, and the chai wala from down the street knows exactly when to bring us our evening cups. It is a simple life and the work is repetitive, but it is what we know how to do. The neighborhood has a lot of history and we are just one small part of it. We don't really have a big plan, we just take things one day at a time.