P Madan Lal & Co

Chawri Bazar 3699 is where you’ll find us, right in the heart of the old market. P Madan Lal & Co has been operating out of this space for quite some time, and the building definitely shows its age. The walls have layers of old paint, and the wooden stairs up to the small mezzanine are a bit creaky. It’s a very tight space because Chawri Bazar doesn't give you much room to breathe. We have metal sheets and rods leaning against almost every available surface. You have to watch your step so you don’t trip over a bundle of wire or a toolbox. The lighting is a bit dim, so we use a few extra lamps when we are looking at the fine details of a piece. It’s always noisy outside with the rickshaws and the loaders, so we have to speak up to be heard. We don't have any corporate protocols or uniforms. We just wear what’s comfortable for moving heavy stock around. Most days involve a lot of weighing and cutting to size. We drink a lot of chai throughout the day to keep going. The paperwork is mostly done by hand in big ledger books that we keep tucked away in a drawer. It’s a crowded, busy, and sometimes messy place, but that is the reality of working in 3699. We just do the work as it comes in and try to keep things moving.