Shivay Tea

Being near Hanuman Mandir means we hear the bells a lot. Shivay Tea is at Plot No. 101/10 on Road No .10 in Nanda Nagar. It’s a quiet enough spot compared to the main junctions, but there is always someone passing through. We start the day by setting out the benches. The tea needs to be hot, so the stove stays on for most of the morning. You can see the temple from the front. Sometimes the monkeys come around and we have to keep an eye on things. It’s just us here, working in the small space we have. The address is easy to find if you know the landmark. We don’t bother with much decoration. The walls are mostly bare except for some calendars. People come in, sit for a bit, and then leave. We listen to the radio sometimes when it is slow. Road No. 10 has some trees that give a little shade in the afternoons. It gets quite hot in Nanda Nagar during the summer months. We just keep the fan going and wait for the evening breeze. It's a small business. Nothing too big or fancy. We just focus on the pots and the leaves. Every now and then, the delivery trucks stop by and we unload the sacks. It takes a bit of muscle. By the time the sun sets, we are tired but it is okay. We’ll be back at it tomorrow. The temple lights come on then.