Madanlal Chhaganlal

Madanlal Chhaganlal has been a part of Bada Sarafa for a very long time. If you have ever been to this part of town, you know it is famous for the jewelry shops during the day and the street food stalls at night. Our shop at number 59 is right in the middle of all that action. It is a traditional place. We don't have those massive glass windows or flashy neon signs you see in the new shopping malls. Instead, we have the same old wooden counters and the familiar smell of the market. People come to us because they knew our fathers or even our grandfathers. It is that kind of old-school business. We usually sit on low stools, showing different pieces to families who are getting ready for a wedding. There is a lot of talking and tea drinking involved in almost every sale we make. The street outside is narrow, so it is always a squeeze with people and scooters passing by. Sometimes it gets so loud you can hardly hear the person sitting across from you. We deal with gold and silver mostly. Every piece has to be weighed and checked carefully on the scales. We aren't into big advertising campaigns or anything like that. Word of mouth has always been enough for us to keep going. When the sun sets and the jewelry shops start closing, the food vendors move in right in front of our door. It is a unique place to work and we are used to it.