Ajit Fire Works

Ajit Fire Works is located right in the middle of Old Delhi, specifically at 1107-A in Bazar Paiwalan, near the Jama Masjid. If you have ever walked through these lanes, you know they are very narrow and always full of people. Our shop is quite small and we have boxes stacked from the floor right up to the ceiling. We mostly sell crackers and sparklers, especially during the big festival seasons. During the rest of the year, things are much quieter, but we still get people coming in for weddings or when a new baby is born. The air inside the shop always has that sharp smell of sulfur and paper. This is a family business that has been here for a long time. Because we don't have much space, we have to be really careful about how we pile up the stock so nothing falls over. When the festival season arrives, the whole lane gets so packed that it is hard to move at all. We spend those days counting out packets and wrapping them in old newspapers for the customers. It involves a lot of sitting and waiting, followed by a sudden rush where everyone wants something at the same time. We don't do any big advertising or have a website. People just know where we are because we’ve been here in this same spot for years. It is a simple way to earn a living, even if the work is a bit seasonal.