Bindal Gems

If you find your way into Johari Bazar and turn down Ramlala Ji Ka Rasta, you’ll eventually see Bindal Gems at number 2061. This part of Jaipur is incredibly old and the lanes are so narrow that two bikes can barely pass each other. Our shop has been in this same spot for a very long time. It’s a small space, filled with tiny drawers and boxes that hold all sorts of stones. The walls are thick and keep the place somewhat cool even when it’s boiling outside in the market. We sit on the floor on white cushions most of the day, which is the traditional way of doing business here. Customers come in and out, but often it’s just neighbors stopping by for a chat. There is a lot of noise from the bells of the nearby temple and the shouting of vendors selling street food. We use old-fashioned scales to weigh the items and everything is written down by hand. The lighting isn't the best, so we use some old table lamps to see the details of the work. It’s a busy, cramped, and noisy environment, but it feels like home to us. We know the history of every crack in the floor. When the sun goes down, the bazar gets even more crowded, and we eventually pull down the iron shutter and head home. We usually stop for some hot kachoris on the way out of the main market gate.