Nasa Masala Pisai Kendar

The shop is located at No. 660, right by Kumhar Gate. It’s an old part of town and the streets are quite narrow, so things can get a bit crowded during the day. We are mostly known as a Pisai Kendar, which means the grinding machines are the heart of the place. They are old and heavy, and they make a lot of noise, but they do the job well. I spend most of my time making sure the stones are balanced and the motor is running right. The air in here is always thick with the smell of dried red chilies and black pepper. It makes everyone sneeze when we are grinding a big batch, but we are used to it by now. We have a small wooden bench outside where people sit and wait for their turn. Most customers bring their own whole spices for us to grind, and we charge by the kilo. We keep a handwritten notebook for the accounts, nothing digital or complicated. The walls were painted blue years ago but now they are covered in a fine layer of spice powder. It’s a messy business, to be honest. My clothes always smell like garam masala when I leave. We close up when it gets dark because the street lighting around Kumhar Gate isn't the best. It’s hard work on the back, but it is what we know how to do. Sometimes we stay late if there is a lot of work to finish.