Anupam Sharma

Life here in Pratap Mohalla moves at its own pace. My place is at 159 30 in the Gulmandi area of Bhilwara. It is a traditional neighborhood where everyone knows what their neighbor is up to. I have my office set up in a room that faces the inner street. It is a solid building, nothing like the glass towers you see in the bigger cities. Most of the furniture I use has been here for years, and it still holds up just fine. Gulmandi is a bit of a maze if you are not from around here, but once you find the mohalla, our door is pretty easy to spot. I spend my mornings going through the daily tasks and talking to the people who stop by. We don't have a receptionist or a fancy waiting lounge. If someone comes early, they just pull up a stool and wait while I finish what I am doing. The air here usually carries the smell of whatever is being cooked in the nearby houses. It makes the workday feel more like a part of the community rather than just a job. Sometimes the electricity goes out for an hour or so in the afternoon, but we just open the windows and keep going. It is honest work in a place that feels like home to me. I usually lock up around six in the evening when the street lamps come on.