Islamia Cloth Store

Pathergatty is a place with a lot of history and we are right in the middle of it at No. 21-2-27. It’s always crowded here, which is just part of the daily experience for us. Rolls of cloth are dealt with all day long. Some are cotton, some are synthetic, and they’re all piled up high against the back wall. If you want something specific, you usually have to wait while we pull it from the bottom of the stack, which can be quite a workout. Heavy lifting is common but we’re used to it by now. The shop has been here for a long time. You can see it in the wooden counters that are worn down from years of measuring fabric for local tailors. Fancy computers aren't used for everything; most of our records are still done with a pen and a simple ledger. The ceiling is high but every inch is filled with stock because space is tight. When the festivals come around, the whole area becomes a maze of shoppers and vendors. Sitting down or drinking water becomes a luxury then. On quieter days, we just sit near the entrance and watch the rickshaws go by on the narrow street. It’s a noisy, busy, and sometimes dusty life here in Pathergatty. We don't try to be anything we're not. Selling cloth to people who need it is what we do. It’s a simple trade that has worked for us for years. A small radio stays on the shelf.