Kulfi & Rabri

Darya Ganj is a place where everything feels like it’s been there forever. Kulfi & Rabri is tucked away at 3627/15. It’s a small shop, mostly just the counters and the big cooling units. We spend the morning thickening the milk. It’s a slow process. You can’t rush it or the bottom burns. The smell of boiling milk is something you get used to after a week of working here. We have these little clay pots stacked up in the corner. Sometimes they break in transit and we have to throw them out. The street outside is always narrow and packed with rickshaws. We see the book sellers and the people walking to the hospital. Our fridge makes a loud humming sound that we don't even notice anymore. When people come in, they usually look for something cold to beat the Delhi heat. We don't have fancy decorations on the walls. It’s just white tiles that we scrub down every day. Sometimes the power goes out and we have to hurry to make sure nothing melts. That’s the most stressful part of the job. Most of the time, it’s just quiet work. We scoop the rabri into the bowls and watch the world go by through the front door. It’s a decent way to spend the day. We’ve been here a long time now and the routine stays the same.