Marothi Bandhej

Our shop is at Plot No. 411 in Mehnat Nagar, right on Hatwara Road. We are situated opposite the NBC and very close to the sabji mandi. Because of the vegetable market, the street is always crowded with people and carts, especially in the early mornings. Marothi Bandhej is our family-run spot where we work with traditional fabrics. The shop is filled with the smell of new cloth and sometimes a bit of dye. We have stacks of colorful materials piled high on the counters and the shelves. It is not a very big space, so we have to be careful not to trip over the bundles. There is always a lot of chatter coming from the street, and we often hear the vendors calling out their prices. We don't have any air conditioning, just some fans that move the air around as best they can. Most of our customers are locals who stop by after doing their daily shopping at the mandi. We spend a lot of time unfolding fabrics so people can see the patterns and then folding them back up again. It is a lot of repetitive work but we are used to it by now. The floor is made of old stone and it stays relatively cool even when it is hot outside. We have a small bench outside where we sometimes sit to take a break from the noise. It is a very grounded and busy life here. When the market starts to close, we also begin to tidy up and lock the shop.