Hilal Traders

Our shop is on Ma Road, right in the middle of the Big Bazaar area in Kuttichira. It is a very old part of Kozhikode, and it is almost always crowded. We are near Kali Chauraha, which is a major landmark for anyone trying to find us. The traffic at the crossroads can be a real headache, especially in the evenings when everyone is out shopping. Hilal Traders has been part of this mess for a long time. The walls of our shop are thick, which helps keep it a bit cooler, but it’s still hot work. We mostly deal with traders who come through the bazaar looking for specific items. There is a lot of shouting and haggling that goes on outside, and sometimes it spills into our doorway. We don't have any fancy decorations. The shelves are made of heavy wood and they are packed tight with whatever we have in stock that week. My son helps me with the lifting because my back isn't what it used to be. We drink a lot of tea from the stall across the street. We don't have a big plan for the future or anything. We just want to keep the shop running and make enough to keep going. It’s a loud, busy place to work, but we would probably find it too quiet anywhere else. Every morning we sweep the dust from the doorstep and start again.