Indian Saree & Crafts

Working at Indian Saree & Crafts right across from the Hawa Mahal is something else. The road is always crowded with tourists and people selling things. Our place at number 53 Hawa Mahal Road stays busy because of where we are. We have sarees piled up on the counters and tucked into the shelves. It’s a lot of folding and unfolding all day long. Sometimes the colors of the fabric seem to fill up the whole room. We don't have a lot of space, so we have to be careful where we put things down. The air outside is always full of the sound of rickshaws and people talking. It’s loud, but you get used to it after the first week. We spend most of our time showing people the different patterns and fabrics we have in stock. It’s not just sarees; there are other craft items scattered around too. The building is old, like most things in this area. We try to keep things tidy, but when it’s busy, the sarees end up in big heaps. It’s just part of the job. Most of the staff live nearby and walk to work. We’ve been at this spot for ages, watching the crowds go by the monument every single day. It’s a bit of a squeeze inside when more than a few people come in at once, but we manage. The big windows at the front let us see everyone walking by, though they get quite dirty from the street dust.