Bhagwati Foods & Spices

We are located at Chandpole Anaj Mandi, shop number 2. The mandi is a place of constant motion and the heavy scent of raw grains and ground spices. At Bhagwati Foods & Spices, we spend our time weighing out bags and checking the quality of the turmeric or chili that comes in. The floors are often covered in a fine dust from the flour and spices, no matter how much we sweep. It is a traditional market atmosphere. You hear the weighing scales clinking and the heavy bags being dropped from the backs of trucks. Our shop is old and the walls have seen many seasons. We keep the spices in large sacks and metal bins. When you walk in, the smell hits you right away—it’s strong and earthy. We deal with a lot of regular buyers who have been coming to the mandi for decades. There is a lot of shouting and bargaining going on outside our door. We just focus on the task at hand, making sure the orders are right. My hands are usually stained a bit yellow from handling the spices all day. We drink a lot of water because the air can get a bit dry with all the particles floating around. It isn't a clean, shiny supermarket; it is a real place where food is handled in bulk. We work hard from early morning until the sun goes down and the market starts to quiet. The work is physical and keeps us on our feet.