Srinivasa Tent House

Uttarahalli 25 is where we keep all the poles and fabrics. It’s a decent sized space, which is good because these tents take up a lot of room once you start stacking them. We’ve got the metal frames leaning against the back wall and the folded chairs piled up near the entrance. Every morning starts with checking the list for the day to see which truck needs to be loaded first. The neighborhood is fairly quiet, but it wakes up early. We usually have a few guys helping out with the heavy lifting because those wooden tables aren't getting any lighter. If there’s a big function nearby, we’re out there in the sun for hours getting things level. It’s hard work on the hands. Sometimes the fabric gets a snag or a stain, so we spend the afternoons patching things up or washing down the plastic seats. We don’t really do much advertising; people just know we’re here at number 25. It’s a practical business. You need a roof over a party, you come talk to us. We’ve lived in this part of town forever, so we know the shortcuts to avoid the main road traffic. The rain can be a real pain during the monsoon, making everything damp and heavy, but we manage. We just keep the gear ready and wait for the next person to knock on the shutter. Srinivasa Tent House is just a local operation for local people.