Hindustani Dawakana

If you’re walking down Netaji Subhash Marg near Daryaganj, you’ll find us at No. 3575. We are right by Delhi Gate, which is a very busy part of the city. Hindustani Dawakana has been around this area for quite some time. The shop is filled with the smells of different herbs and traditional items. It’s a small space, and it gets crowded pretty quickly when a few people come in at once. We don't have a modern, sterile look; it’s more of a traditional setup with shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling. There are jars and packets everywhere. The noise from the street is constant because of the traffic near Delhi Gate, but we’re used to it. We spend our time helping people find what they need and weighing out different ingredients. It’s a lot of manual work and talking to customers who have been coming to us for years. Some people stop in just to say hello while they’re passing by. The floors are a bit worn from all the foot traffic, and the lighting is just okay, but it works for what we do. We open up early and stay until the evening rush starts to fade. It’s a historic part of Delhi to be in, and we feel like a small part of the furniture here. We just keep things simple and focus on the shop and the people who walk through the door.