Mathura Chat

We are at Shop No. 5 on Shivala Road in Amritsar. It’s right near the Shivala crossing, so there is always something happening outside. If you know Amritsar, you know that people here really care about their snacks and street food. We’ve been here for a while, just serving chat to anyone who walks by. The shop is small, so a lot of people just stand outside and eat while they talk. It can get pretty crowded around the crossing, especially in the evenings when everyone is out and about. I’ve spent many years standing behind the counter, mixing the spices and preparing the plates. It’s a lot of repetitive work, but I like the rhythm of it. The smells from the street and the kitchen all mix together. We don't have a big sign or any fancy lights. It’s just a typical local shop. Sometimes the rain makes things difficult because people can't stand outside, but otherwise, we stay busy. I know a lot of the families around here because they've been coming to us since their kids were small. We don't try to be anything we aren't. We just make the chat the way we've always made it. It’s a simple business, and we are just one of many shops on Shivala Road trying to make a living.