Shree Kala Mandir Art & Craft

We’ve been over here on Circuit House Road for a long time, tucked away near Ajit Bhawan. The shop, Shree Kala Mandir Art & Craft, usually has stuff piled up in the corners because we’re always in the middle of three things at once. It’s not one of those clean, corporate offices where everyone wears a suit. Usually, we just have tea and get to work on whatever came in that morning. The neighborhood is fairly active, so there is always noise from the street, but you get used to it after a week or two. Sometimes the afternoon sun hits the front window and makes it really hot, so we have to move the tables back. We spend a lot of time just sorting through beads, paints, and wood pieces. It’s messy work. My hands are usually stained with something by noon. We don’t really do fancy lunches; we just eat together in the back room and talk about what needs to get done before dark. It’s a decent way to make a living. We see a lot of the same faces coming in for supplies or just to see what’s new on the shelves. There isn't a lot of planning involved, we just show up and start where we left off. The floors need sweeping more often than they get it, but that's what happens when you're busy. It feels right being here in this part of town.