Sudarshan Traders

At No. 68 in the New Potato Onion Market, things start very early. If you aren't there before the sun comes up, you’re already behind. Sudarshan Traders is right in the thick of it. It’s a world of burlap sacks, weighing scales, and a lot of shouting. We deal mostly in potatoes and onions, which sounds simple but there is a lot to it. You have to know the quality just by looking at the skin or feeling the weight in your hand. The market is a dirty, loud, and wonderful place. We spend our mornings arguing over prices and making sure the trucks are loaded right. My boots are almost never clean, and there is always a bit of onion peel stuck somewhere. We don't have time for fancy speeches or polished presentations. Our reputation is just based on what is in the bags we sell. If the crop is good, we have a good day. If it’s been a bad season, we all feel it. We sit on plastic chairs or sometimes just on the edge of a crate while we have our lunch. It’s a tough way to make a living but it’s what we know. We’ve been at this spot for a long time and we’ve seen the market change, but the work stays pretty much the same. You show up, you work hard, and you go home tired. That is how things go at the market.