Opium

If you know Sadar Bazar in Jhansi, you know it’s a place that stays crowded from morning until late at night. Our spot at number 497 is right across from the petrol pump, which is a good landmark for people who haven't been here before. The street outside is always full of motorcycles and people walking, and the dust from the road tends to drift inside whenever the door opens. We have some old wooden furniture that’s been around for a long time, and the cushions are a bit thin now. The walls are decorated with some basic frames, but nothing that you would call art. We spend the afternoon getting the glasses ready and making sure the ice is delivered on time. It gets loud when the market is at its busiest, and sometimes we have to shout a bit just to hear each other over the noise of the traffic. We don't have a fancy entrance, just a door that sticks a bit in the rainy season. The staff is mostly local guys who have been working in the bazar for years. We aren't trying to impress anyone with big words or polished manners. It’s just a place in the middle of a very old, very busy market where you can get away from the sun for a bit. The light from the petrol pump across the street shines into the front window once it gets dark, which is usually when things start to pick up for us.