Orissa Pattal Bhandar

We sell leaf plates and disposables here in Sangam Vihar at G9/223. It’s a basic business, mostly supplying for local weddings or temple functions. The shop is filled with stacks of pattals that go all the way to the ceiling. It smells like dried leaves in here, which I actually quite like. Sangam Vihar is a bit of a maze, so it took us a while to get the logistics right for deliveries. Most of the time, I’m just counting bundles and making sure the stock doesn't get damp if it rains. The roof has a small leak we’ve been meaning to fix, but for now, we just move the stacks around. People come in looking for different sizes, from the small bowls to the big dinner plates. We don’t have a fancy display; everything is just kept in their original sacks or tied up with string. My wife helps me with the accounts in the evening after she finishes her chores. It is a family thing, really. The kids sometimes play among the boxes when they are home from school. We know most of the people on this street, and they often stop by just to say hello or borrow a matchbox. It is a busy life, especially during the festival season when everyone needs plates for their guests. We just try to keep enough in stock so we don't have to turn anyone away. The street is always dusty, but inside the shop, it stays relatively cool because of the high stacks of leaves.