Mahak

Mahak is located at 254 in Akkipet, which is one of those old parts of the city where the streets are so narrow you can barely fit a car through. We’ve been here for a long time. The shop isn't very large, and it’s packed from floor to ceiling with all sorts of items. Sometimes I even forget where we put certain things until a customer asks for it. It’s a dusty area, so I’m constantly wiping down the counters and the front glass. Being at number 254 means we are right in the middle of the chaos. You can hear the sounds of bells, scooters, and people shouting all day long. We don't have a fancy marketing plan. People just know we are here because we’ve always been here. I usually sit on a small stool near the entrance. The light inside is a bit dim because the buildings are so close together, but it stays relatively cool. When the monsoon rains come, the street outside gets messy, and we have to put up a plastic sheet to keep the water from blowing in. It’s a simple life running a shop in Akkipet. We know the other shopkeepers nearby, and we often share tea in the afternoons when things quiet down for a bit. We don't try to be anything we aren't. We just keep the shop open and sell what we have to the people who walk in.