Chandra Vilas Namkeen

Down on High Court Road, things stay pretty hectic from early morning until late at night. We’ve got Chandra Vilas Namkeen set up here, and the smell of spices usually drifts out into the street. It’s a small place, honestly, and the kitchen takes up most of the room. We spend a lot of time near the big fryers and the packing table. My hands usually smell like cumin or chili powder even after I wash them. We don't really have a big staff, just a few people who have been here long enough to know the recipes by heart. The floor gets a bit slippery with oil if we aren't careful, so we’re always scrubbing it down. People coming from the court often stop by to grab a bag of something salty before they head home. We don’t do any big advertising or anything. Most people just find us because they live nearby or they’ve walked past us for years. The shelves are wooden and they’re starting to show their age, but they hold the containers just fine. We keep the doors open to let some air in, though that means the city noise comes in too. It’s just a regular shop where we make snacks every day. We don’t try to be anything else. We just pack the bags, count the change, and start over again the next day. It’s a lot of work but it keeps us out of trouble.