Shiv Chay Bhandar

Every morning at Shiv Chay Bhandar, the first thing we do is light the stove. We are right in the middle of Chandpole Bazar at Agarwal Market, so there is always people moving around. It’s a small shop, number 1013, but it stays crowded from early on. We’ve been serving tea here for a long time, and some of the people who come in have been regulars since I was a kid. It isn't just about the tea, though that is why they come. It’s a place where people stop to talk about the news or what’s happening in the market. We don't have fancy chairs or air conditioning, just a few benches and the smell of cardamom and ginger in the air. Sometimes it gets so busy I can barely keep up with the cups, especially during the winter months when everyone wants something hot. We keep things simple here. We use good milk and fresh tea leaves, and we don't charge much. It’s a loud, messy place sometimes with all the shopkeepers shouting and the rickshaws going by outside, but it feels like home to us. If you’re walking through Agarwal Market, you’ll probably see the steam rising from our big pots. We don't do any advertising, the smell of the tea usually does the work for us.