Gulab Chank Shankarlal

You can find Gulab Chank Shankarlal at Plot No-A-17 inside the Rajdhani Krishi Upaj Mandi in Kukarkheda. Being on Sikar Road means there are always big trucks coming and going. The mandi is a world of its own. It starts very early, sometimes before the sun is even up. There is a lot of shouting and the sound of heavy bags being dropped. Our spot is just one of many, but we have been here long enough that everyone knows where A-17 is. The air is thick with the smell of grain and dust. We have a small office area with a couple of chairs that have seen better days. Most of the time, we are outside on the platform checking the quality of what comes in. It is a hard job and the hours are long. You have to be quick with your hands and your math. We drink our chai standing up most mornings because there is no time to sit. There is not much for luxury here. It is all about the trade and making sure the bags are moved on time. When the season is busy, we barely have time to look at the clock. But when it is quiet, we lean against the pillars and talk to the other traders about the prices. It is just the way the mandi works for everyone here. We stay until the last truck leaves.