R L Jain & Sons

R L Jain & Sons is sitting right near the Fatak Karor area of Chawri Bazar. It’s an old part of the city near Ajmeri Gate. Our address is 266 and the building has seen a lot of history. The lanes are so narrow that two people can barely walk side by side when the handcarts are passing through. It is always noisy with people shouting and bells ringing. We have been here for a long time. The shop is filled with things we’ve gathered over decades. We know exactly where the small items are hidden even if it looks like a mess to someone walking in for the first time. There is a lot of dust because of the old walls. We sit on wooden stools and talk to the regulars who have been buying from us since my father was running the place. It’s not about being modern or having a computer for everything. We write things down in ledgers and use old calculators. The ceiling is high but the light doesn't reach the back very well. We keep the shutters up from early morning until late evening. Sometimes we share a meal with the shopkeeper next door. It’s a small community in this lane. We just handle the daily business as it comes and try not to get too stressed when it gets overcrowded.