Jugnu Patake Wala

We are located in Sirki Bazar, right near Jalebi Wala Chowk in Bhatinda. It’s an old part of the city and it gets very busy, especially during festival times. Everyone around here knows the shop. We sell crackers and fireworks, mostly for weddings and Diwali. It’s a family thing that’s been going on for years. The shop is small and filled with boxes from floor to ceiling. You have to be careful where you walk. There’s always the smell of paper and gunpowder in the air. During the day, we sit on old wooden stools and talk to the customers who stop by. Some people want the big loud stuff, others just want small sparklers for the kids. We know most of the people who live around Sirki Bazar. It’s a tight community. Sometimes we share tea with the neighboring shopkeepers. Being near Jalebi Wala Chowk is great because the smell of sweets is always around. It’s not a fancy business with computers and spreadsheets. We write everything down in thick registers. When the season hits, it gets very hectic and we barely have time to eat. We just keep moving boxes and helping people pick what they need. Bhatinda gets hot in the summer, but we stay in the shade of the shop. It’s simple work but it keeps us busy and we like being part of the local life here. Our father used to run this place, and now we do.