Mohan Aloo Bhandar

Mohan Aloo Bhandar is tucked away in Lalkothi Subji Mandi at stall F2. It’s exactly what it sounds like. We deal in potatoes. Big sacks of them come in early every morning, usually before the sun is even up. The mandi is a chaotic place, especially at 4 AM. We spend our time sorting through the haul, making sure the quality is okay for the daily buyers. There’s always dirt on the floor and the smell of fresh earth. It’s not a glamorous job. My hands are usually dusty from handling the produce all day. We have different types, some from local farms and others from further away depending on the time of year. Some days are slow, and we just sit on the crates talking to the neighbors. Other days, we can’t move fast enough to keep up with the carts. We’ve been in this spot for a long time. People know where to find us when they need a sack for their home or for a small eatery. We don’t do fancy packaging. You just get your potatoes in a jute bag or a plastic one and go. It’s straightforward work. We wake up early, do the work, and go home when the stock is low. It’s a simple cycle that keeps us busy enough. We don't really do anything else besides this. It is enough to pay the bills and stay fed.