Karni Stones

Karni Stones is located over in Hanuman Hatha, specifically at Plot 204 on Street Number 4. If you live in Bikaner, you know this part of town can get pretty crowded. We’ve stayed in this same spot because it’s where we started and we know all the other shop owners nearby. We mostly deal with local stone that people use for their houses. It’s a straightforward operation. We have the slabs lined up against the walls, and we spend our afternoons showing people the different shades of red and grey that come in from the quarries. It’s not glamorous work. My cousin helps me with the loading, and we have a small desk where we keep the ledger. Sometimes the dust from the cutting gets everywhere, but that’s part of the job. We don’t have a big marketing plan. Most people find us because their neighbor bought stone from us last year. We try to be honest about what we have in stock. If a piece has a crack, we say so. There’s no point in hiding it. We like being part of the community here in Bikaner. It’s a dry, hot place, but the stone stays cool. We just keep doing what we do, making sure the orders are ready when the tractors come to pick them up for the building sites. It is just a regular way to make a living and we take it one day at a time.