Sanjeev Paints

Our shop, Sanjeev Paints, is at No. 12, near the FCP Godown in the Quarshi area of Aligarh. It’s pretty easy to find because of all the color samples and cans we have sitting around outside. We deal with paints, brushes, rollers, and all the stuff you need to fix up a house or a room. The floor is covered in dried paint drips from years of mixing different colors for people who come in. We have those big machines that shake the cans to get the tint right, and they make a lot of noise throughout the day. It smells like chemicals and fresh paint in here all the time, which we don't even notice anymore. Most of our day is spent talking to local painters or homeowners who aren't sure which shade of white or blue they want. We try to help them figure it out by showing them the big color books we keep on the counter. We’ve got stacks of tins everywhere, and sometimes it's hard to find the exact one we need in the back room. It’s just a regular local shop for the neighborhood. We don’t have fancy air conditioning or a waiting lounge. There’s just a simple bench for people to sit on while they wait for their paint to be mixed and ready. We’ve known most of our customers for a long time, sometimes for years. It’s a steady job. We open up early and close when it gets dark. Sometimes we get a bit messy with the pigments, but that’s just part of the trade we chose.