Vasudev Mirchmal

Our shop, Vasudev Mirchmal, is tucked away in Gujarwada Gali, number 210, right in the heart of Johari Bazar. It’s an old part of the city, and the lanes are very narrow. You can smell the spices long before you see the door. We deal mostly in chilies and other dry spices. Everything is kept in big bags or bins. The air is always a bit spicy, which makes some people sneeze when they first walk in. We’ve been here for generations, I think. The shop is small and has wooden shelves that have been there forever. We spend the day weighing out powders and packing them into small bags. It’s a lot of manual work. We don't have a computer system; we just use a ledger and a pen. It’s dusty and red from all the chili powder. People come from all over the city to buy from us because they know the quality is steady. We don't do any advertising. The location is a bit hard to find if you aren't used to the bazar, but just ask anyone in Gujarwada Gali for the spice shop at 210. We sit on the floor or on low stools most of the day. It’s a traditional way of doing things. We open when the sun comes up and close when the market gets quiet at night. It’s hard on the throat sometimes, but it’s our family business and we’re proud to keep it going just as it always was.