Chaat Bhandar

Paharganj is a crazy place to have a business, but we’ve been at Chinyot Basti 312 for quite some time. The lane is narrow and there are always rickshaws and motorbikes squeezing past. Our shop is tucked in there, and we mostly deal with chaat. It’s a lot of dahi, papdi, and boiled chickpeas. I spend my mornings chopping ginger and green chilies. It’s the kind of place where you have to be quick because the customers are usually in a hurry to get somewhere else. We get travelers from the nearby hotels and people who work in the local shops. The air is always thick with the smell of spices and exhaust fumes, which is just part of the Paharganj experience. We don't have a lot of space for people to sit, so it’s mostly standing or taking it to go in a leaf bowl. Sometimes the electricity goes out and we have to work by candlelight for a bit, but we don’t stop. The chaat has to be cold and the chutneys have to be tangy. We go through a lot of yogurt every day. I’ve lived in this area my whole life, so I know most of the people walking by. It’s not a glamorous job, but it keeps us busy. We just keep mixing the ingredients and serving whoever shows up at the counter until the sun goes down and we can finally go home.