New Bishalakhi Steel & Imitation House

You can find us on the Main Road in Bangalpur over in the Bagnan area of Howrah. We have a lot of steel utensils stacked up high so you have to be careful not to knock anything over. There are plates, bowls, and big pots that shine under the lights. Besides the kitchen stuff we also keep imitation jewelry which the local ladies like to look at. We have earrings and necklaces pinned up on boards. The shop is usually quite bright because of all the metal reflecting the light. Bagnan is a busy place and being on the main road means we see a lot of people passing by on their way to the market. We spend a lot of time polishing the steel so it doesn't look dull. Sometimes a whole family comes in because they are buying gifts for a wedding or setting up a new kitchen. We have to wrap everything in old newspapers so the pieces don't scratch each other. It is just me and my nephew running the place. We don't have any fancy displays, just items piled up where people can see them easily. The imitation jewelry side of the business is a bit more delicate and we have to keep those bits in small plastic boxes. It’s a good mix of things to sell. Some days are slow but we just sit and watch the traffic go by until someone stops to look at the shiny pans outside.