Bablu Hair Dresser Saloon

Living and working in Dallirajhara means you get used to the red dust and the constant sound of buses. We are right by the New Bus Stand on the Main Road. It is a busy spot. People are always coming and going, some just passing through and others who live right here in the neighborhood. The shop, Bablu Hair Dresser Saloon, has been in this spot for quite a while. I remember when the road wasn't as paved as it is now. Every morning, I wipe down the chairs because the road outside stays so dusty. It is just part of the job here in Chhattisgarh. We have a couple of fans that stay on all day to keep the air moving, though it still gets hot in the afternoons. Most of the men who come in are looking for a quick cut before they catch their next bus or after they finish a long shift. We don't have anything fancy inside. It is just the basics—mirrors, some sharp shears, and a radio playing in the corner. Sometimes the reception isn't great, but it fills the silence. You hear a lot of stories sitting in this shop. People talk about their families or the work at the mines. It's a simple life. We stay open late most nights because that is when the bus stand is the most crowded. It feels good to be a familiar face for the locals who live out here.