Samrat Lassi

We are situated at Plot No. 1 on Pirchhalla Road, which is right near the Ghogha Gate. This is a very old and busy part of the city. We start our work very early in the morning, around 4 AM, because the curd needs time to set properly. You can smell the fresh milk being boiled from a block away. We use big wooden churners to mix the lassi, and it takes a lot of arm strength to get it right. By the time the sun is up, the first customers are already waiting near the gate. We serve the lassi in heavy glasses and people stand around on the pavement to drink it. There is no fancy seating area here, just the counter and the busy street. The Ghogha Gate area is always crowded with shoppers and rickshaws, so it gets very loud. We have to shout sometimes just to hear the orders. We don't use any machines for the mixing; we prefer doing it the old way by hand. It feels more authentic that way, and people seem to like it. By late afternoon, we are usually exhausted and starting to clean up the big metal vats. We go through a lot of ice every day to keep the drinks cool. It is a simple business, just milk, sugar, and a lot of hard work. We have been on this corner for a long time.