Vartika Beauty Parlour

Vartika Beauty Parlour is on the first floor of the Shinde Complex in Lashkar, Gwalior. You have to walk up the stairs, and we are at shop number 104. Being near Heaten Family Fast Food is great because people often stop for a snack and then see our sign. The parlour is a space where women come to relax for a bit away from the noise of the Lashkar markets. It’s often busy in Gwalior, especially with all the weddings and parties that happen here. I do a lot of bridal work, but also just regular stuff like hair cuts and cleaning up eyebrows. The room isn't huge, but I’ve arranged it so there is enough space for everyone to sit comfortably. I spend a lot of time organizing the bottles and creams on the shelves. Sometimes the water pressure in the building is a bit low, but we have a tank to help with that. I like the light that comes through the window in the afternoons. Most of my customers are women from the surrounding apartments who have been coming to me for years. We talk about our families while I work. It is a humble place, nothing like the big salons you see in Delhi or Mumbai. I just try to do a good job so people come back next time. It’s my own little corner in the Shinde Complex.