Shri Anjani Nandan Moorti Bhandar

Our shop is tucked away in Prajapat Ki Gali, which is on Khejron Ka Rasta at the 4th crossing. It’s a very old part of the city and the lanes are quite narrow. If you know the Krishan Bakery, we are just near there, so you can usually smell the fresh bread and biscuits while we are working. We specialize in making moortis, mostly from marble. My grandfather started this business in this very same spot. The walls are stained with years of dust and paint. We don't have a lot of room, so the finished statues are often lined up right against the door. Sometimes people struggle to find us because the 4th crossing gets very crowded with bikes and pedestrians. We spend our days carving and polishing, and our hands are usually white from the marble powder. It’s a noisy job because of the tools, but we like the rhythm of it. We don't use any big machines, just the old-fashioned way of doing things. My sons are learning the trade now too. It takes a lot of patience to get the faces of the idols just right. Sometimes a piece breaks at the last minute and we have to start all over again, which is frustrating. But that is the way it goes. We take our tea breaks at the corner shop and talk to the neighbors. It’s a tight community here in the gali.