Pandit Shankar Jay Kishan Tahilyani

Naya Bazar is always loud, and being near Purani Mandi means there is constant shouting and the sound of carts moving on the stones. Our place, Pandit Shankar Jay Kishan Tahilyani, has been in the family for a long time. The name is a mouthful, but everyone around here just knows where we are. The walls are thick and painted a dull cream color that’s faded over the years. We have these old ledgers piled up on the side desk because I still prefer writing things down by hand instead of using a computer for everything. The ceiling is high, which helps a bit with the heat, but the air still feels heavy when the market gets crowded in the afternoon. There’s a specific smell of dry goods and old paper that never really goes away. I spend a lot of my day just sitting on the wooden chair behind the counter, watching the crowd go by and waiting for the next person to walk in. Sometimes the neighbors come in just to complain about the price of things or the weather. It’s a lot of work keeping up with the inventory in such a busy part of town, and sometimes I lose track of where I put the smaller items. We don't have fancy displays, just the same old shelves that have been here since my father's time. It feels like home even when it’s chaotic.