Chotu Ji Gajak Wale

If you walk down Bagru Walo Ka Rasta in the Chandpole Bazar area, you will likely smell the jaggery before you even see us. It’s a very old part of town and the streets are narrow, so everything feels a bit cramped. We spend most of our time in the back where the heat from the big iron pots is intense. Making gajak is not easy work at all. It takes a lot of arm strength to pull the sugar and mix in the sesame seeds until it’s just right. My father used to do it the same way. We don't use any fancy machines, just our hands and some basic tools. During the winter months, it gets incredibly hectic. People are constantly pushing into the shop, asking if the batch is ready yet. The floor is always a bit sticky no matter how much we sweep it. We pile the boxes high on the shelves. Sometimes we run out of packing paper and someone has to run out to get more. It's loud because of the traffic outside and the constant thumping of the hammers. By the time we close up, we are usually covered in a fine layer of sugar dust. It’s a tough way to earn a living, but it’s what we know. The address isn't hard to find if you just ask someone in the bazaar.