Padam & Company

Padam & Company is right in the middle of the grain market, the Anaj Mandi at Chandpole Bazar. Our spot is B 5. If you’ve ever been to an anaj mandi, you know exactly what it smells like—dusty grain, old jute bags, and the noise of the city. It’s a loud place with tractors and carts moving in and out all the time. We’ve been at B 5 for years, dealing with the local farmers and the people who come to buy in bulk. It’s not a clean or quiet job. There’s always flour or grain dust on the floor and on our clothes. We sit on cushions on the floor mostly, doing the accounts and talking to the traders who stop by. We don't have a website or anything like that; people just know where we are. We deal in the basics, things people eat every day like wheat and pulses. It’s a lot of weighing and haggling over prices, which is just part of the life here. Chandpole is an old part of town, so the buildings are a bit worn out, but they have character. Our shop isn't much to look at, just a sturdy place to keep the bags dry and the records safe. We wake up early to get things started before the sun gets too high and the market gets too crowded. It’s a simple business built on being there every day at the same spot for our regular customers and visitors.