Chooharmal Balchand Pansari

We’ve been here at Tripoliya Bazar 23 for quite a while now. Most people know us by the name Chooharmal Balchand Pansari, which has been on the sign since my grandfather's time. The shop is usually a bit crowded because we have so many different herbs and spices tucked into every corner. It’s hard to keep track of everything sometimes, but we know where the most important stuff is kept. Every morning starts with opening the shutters and dusting off the jars. You can smell the cardamom and cloves from the street before you even step inside. We don't really have a big staff, just a couple of us helping whoever walks in. People come here for all sorts of things, maybe some dried ginger or stuff for a specific recipe they’re making at home. It gets loud outside with the traffic, but inside it's just the sound of weighing scales and paper bags being filled. Sometimes the electricity goes out for a bit, but we just keep going. We aren't trying to do anything fancy here. We just sit on the floor or the little stools and talk to the regulars who have been coming for years. It’s a simple way of working. Most days are long, but we like being part of this market. There’s always someone stopping by just to say hello or ask for a small bit of turmeric. We keep the books by hand mostly. It’s just how things are done here at number 23.