Swami Namkeen Bhandar

Swami Namkeen Bhandar is located right in the middle of the chaos in Gajraula. We are near Yadav Colony, but most people know us because we’re in Swami Bazar, close to the Purana Bazar and the Ramlila Ground. During festival times, the whole area is packed with people and we barely have room to breathe inside the shop. We make all sorts of salty snacks throughout the day. The smell of hot oil and spices is something that stays in your clothes forever. I’ve tried washing it out, but the scent of cumin and chili is always there. My day starts around five in the morning to get the fires going. We have big iron woks that take a long time to heat up properly. It’s very physical work, lifting heavy sacks of flour and stirring the thick mixes. The shop is small and can get very crowded with people wanting fresh snacks for their evening tea. Sometimes the noise from the market outside is so loud we have to shout just to hear the customers. We have a couple of guys who help with the frying while I handle the counter and the cash. It’s a bit disorganized at times, with bags of namkeen stacked up wherever there’s an empty space. But we know what’s in each pile. The floor is usually covered in a bit of flour by mid-afternoon. We just sweep it up.