Bhawani Bandej Saree

Bhawani Bandej Saree is on the 2nd floor of Jai Bhawan, which is at 208 Dhula House in Bapu Bazar. You have to walk up a couple of flights of stairs to get to us. It’s a bit of a climb, but most of our customers are used to it by now. Being on the second floor means we are away from the direct dust of the main street, which is good for the fabrics. We specialize in bandej, so the shop is always full of bright colors like red, yellow, and green. The smell of the dye is often in the air because that’s just how it is with this kind of work. We have a lot of plastic bags around to keep the finished sarees clean. It’s not a very fancy office; it’s more like a storehouse where people can browse through the piles. We have a couple of workers who help with the folding because bandej takes a lot of time to pack properly. My family has been doing this for a long time. We know the patterns and the knots better than anyone else in the building. We don't spend money on fancy decorations or lights. We just have our stock and a place for people to sit. Bapu Bazar is always crowded, so it’s a relief for people to come up here where it’s a bit more peaceful. We just show what we have and hope people find something they like for their families.