Dhannala Mangilal

Our shop, Dhannala Mangilal, is at Chandpole Bazar 459. If you've ever walked through the old city, you know how narrow the lanes are and how loud the rickshaws get. It’s a very traditional place to be. We’ve been in this spot for a long time, maybe longer than some of the newer buildings nearby. The shop has that old smell of wood and paper. We don't have fancy lights or glass displays. It’s mostly just shelves filled with items and old ledgers on the desk. Every morning starts with opening the big wooden doors. The neighbors are all doing the same thing at the same time. We see the same faces every day, from the chai wala to the people heading to the temple. Chandpole is a bit chaotic, especially during festival seasons, but that's why we like it here. It feels real. Inside the shop, it’s a bit cramped because we have so much stuff squeezed in. We don't really use computers for everything; a lot is still done by hand. It’s just how we learned to do it. Sometimes the electricity goes out for an hour, so we just sit on the steps and talk to the people passing by. It's not a corporate lifestyle at all. We just sell what we have and keep the records straight. It's a humble way to earn a living in the heart of the city. We close up when the market gets quiet.