Diya

Our shop, Diya, is tucked away on Appavu Gramani Street in the Mount Road area. We are at number 54, right behind the Devi Theatre, which is usually how people find us if they haven't been here before. Being so close to Ellis Road means there is always a lot of noise and people moving around outside, but inside we just focus on whatever needs to be done that day. It’s a small operation, nothing like the big stores you see on the main roads. We don't have a massive marketing budget or fancy displays. Most of what we have is just sitting on the shelves ready for whoever needs it. It’s a practical kind of place. We open the shutters in the morning and stay until the evening, dealing with whoever walks in from the street. Many of our customers are locals who live in the backstreets here, or people who work in the nearby offices and stop by during their break. We don't make big promises about things; we just sell what we have at the price we can. The building is older, and the space is a bit tight, but it works for what we do. You won't find any corporate talk here, just a few people trying to run a small business in a busy part of Chennai. We like the area despite the traffic, and being near the theatre keeps things interesting with the crowds.